SAN FRANCISCO - From many perspectives, Mark Leno has been breaking barriers through much of his political life.
Leno, 57, started out in politics as a gay rights and community activist. He has served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and just completed three successful terms in the California Assembly, representing AD-13.
In the spring of this year Leno took the unusual step of taking on and beating incumbent state Senator Carole Migden and former state legislator Joe Nation for control of Migden's SD-03 seat, representing the heart of San Francisco.