Republican Pa. lawmaker announces he’s gay

A Republican lawmaker from rural central Pennsylvania, who describes himself as a conservative Christian, made history as the first openly gay member of the state legislature. Rep. Mike Fleck, 39, of Huntingdon, disclosed that he is gay in an interview with the Huntingdon Daily News that was published Saturday. Fleck, who recently separated from his wife of almost a decade, told the newspaper that he struggled with his sexual orientation for years and hopes his openness will help others better understand the journey people have to take to live an authentic life.