Washington ? When high-ranking officials publicly acknowledge they are gay, activists normally turn proud. But cheers turned to concerns Friday as gay politicians throughout the United States digested the historic coming-out of the New Jersey governor.

“The fact that you have the governor of a big state saying, ‘I am a gay American’ without shame is a monumental step,” said Daniel Zingale, former Cabinet secretary for California Gov. Gray Davis and now a member of the California Agriculture Labor Relations Board. “My concern is that young people in particular might misunderstand the headline, concluding that he resigned because he’s gay.”

Gov. James E. McGreevey, with his wife at his side, resigned Thursday, citing an extramarital affair with another man. What he did not mention and what the gay community was worried about Friday, were allegations that there were financial improprieties and attempted blackmail.

“The whole thing is a little bittersweet,” said David Catania, a city councilman in Washington, D.C. “It would be nice if a governor was elected who was gay and proud and didn’t engage in dishonesty. There aren’t a lot of opportunities for Americans to see gays in office. Now to see someone abusing their power, it’s not much to be proud of.”

There are 275 openly gay and lesbian elected officials in the United States, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a Washington-based organization that helps elect gay candidates. In 1991, when the fund was started, there were 49.

Gay officials expressed concern that voters might judge other officials from their community by the actions of one.

“When a heterosexual politician has a scandal, I don’t think it gives heterosexuality a bad name,” Zingale said. Dave DeCicco of the Victory Fund staff added, “Politicians having extra-marital affairs and having to resign is not new ground.”

There also was discussion of whether McGreevey, at 47, was the last of a generation whose politicians found it difficult to disclose their homosexuality.

“He is a product of his time,” Catania said. “Hopefully his is the last generation of individuals so conflicted about their sexuality they feel they have to fight it.”

Zingale agreed that much has changed. “When McGreevey got married and applied for his first job, it was perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay in his state. The world where he started and made choices was a very dangerous place to be honest about being gay.”