The state Senate welcomed its first openly gay member on Monday, applauding Democrat Scott McCoy as he took the oath to replace outgoing Sen. Paula Julander, who resigned for health reasons. McCoy is the 34-year-old vice chairman of the gay-rights group, Equality Utah. But he vowed in his first floor speech that he will not be a single-issue lawmaker. "The fact that I am gay is certainly one of the characteristics with which I have been endowed by my creator and it is an important part of who I am as a human being," McCoy said. "But it is certainly not the only characteristic that defines me, just as none of my colleagues can or should be reduced to any one of their many characteristics." Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. made McCoy's appointment official Monday morning. - Thomas Burr