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Under clear and sunny skies, the colors of the rainbow shone brightly through downtown Ashland, but for the openly gay woman running for congress, the acceptance at the pride parade is something she’s felt throughout the state. Grand marshal Jamie McLeod-Skinner marched alongside her wife, Cass, Saturday morning at the Rogue Valley Pride! parade, which drew thousands eager to share their true colors. The Democrat challenger to Greg Walden in the Oregon District 2 congressional race said that she’s been embraced for who she is throughout the state even by folks across the aisle who may or may not have her vote. She described meeting a man who “identified himself as a conservative republican” while campaigning in eastern Oregon about two months ago. “He simply thanked me for running as out,” McLeod-Skinner said. “Because, he said, my son’s gay and it’s time.” In her campaigning through rural southern, central and eastern Oregon regions that comprise the congressional district, McLeod-Skinner said she’s found voters throughout the state to be more “independent minded” and “almost libertarian leaning.” She described the rural perspective she’s seen is one of “you leave me alone, I’ll leave you alone, and if you need something I’ll help you out.” “I’m not afraid of telling folks in eastern Oregon that I’m gay, what makes me nervous is telling people in Ashland that I listen to country music,” McLeod-Skinner joked. “Because we all have our perceptions of different areas.” Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at @ MTCrimeBeat .