Chavez won the primary handily , defeating several Republican challengers . Later , she made comments that some Mikulski supporters interpreted as an attempt to draw attention to the issue of Mikulski 's sexual orientation . In an article quoting Chavez 's claim that Mikulski was a " San Francisco-style , George McGovern , liberal Democrat " , the '' Washington Post '' reported that Chavez was directly implying that the never-married Mikulski was a lesbian . Chavez was accused of making Mikulski 's sexual orientation a central issue of the political campaign . In defending her use of the phrase , Chavez stated the line " San Francisco Democrats " was a reference to Jeane Kirkpatrick 's 1984 Republican National Convention " Blame America First " speech , in which Kirkpatrick coined the phrase " San Francisco Liberal . " . The phrase " San Francisco liberal " was common at the time
1984 Republican National Convention
1984 Republican National Convention
1986 United States Senate elections