April Endorsements: Meet the new Game Changer and Spotlight Candidates!

GAME CHANGER ENDORSEMENT: Jamie McLeod-Skinner for US House of Representatives, OR-05

Jamie McLeod-Skinner is a small business owner and emergency response coordinator who lives in Central Oregon. This newly-redrawn battleground seat is ripe for new representation. Jamie is taking on U.S. Congressman Kurt Schrader, who has a record of controversial statements and an economically-harmful voting record. Jamie will be Oregon’s first out LGBTQ member of Congress!

SPOTLIGHT ENDORSEMENT: Liz Bennett for Iowa State Senate

Liz is a four-term Iowa State Representative from Cedar Rapids and has served as Assistant Leader of the Iowa Democratic House Caucus. With her political experience, Liz is now more prepared than ever for this leap to the upper chamber.  If elected, Liz will be the first out LGBTQ woman elected to the Iowa State Senate!

SPOTLIGHT ENDORSEMENT: Leigh Finke for Minnesota House of Representatives

Leigh is a journalist, activist, and filmmaker in St. Paul. She has published two books and is also the writer and producer of two documentaries. Currently, Leigh is the owner and Executive Producer of Totally Gay Productions and is a multimedia storyteller at ACLU of Minnesota. Leigh shattered expectations by blocking the party endorsement in the race which in Minnesota determines the winner of the Democratic primary. When elected, Leigh will be the first out trans lawmaker elected to the Minnesota legislature!!

SPOTLIGHT ENDORSEMENT: Zelos Marchandt for Oregon House of Representatives

Zelos is a small business owner and has been a dedicated journalist. He has been active in the Washington County Democratic Party as chair of the Black Americans Caucus. Zelos has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood, Pro-Choice Oregon, Local 503 SEIU, Color PAC, State Senator Akasha Lawrence-Spence, State Representative Nathan Sosa, LGBTQ state Representative Travis Nelson, LGBTQ Hillsboro City Councilmember Beach Pace and 11 other local leaders. This race will be determined in the May Democratic primary. If elected, Zelos will be the first out trans man elected to a state legislature in US history!

ELEVATED SPOTLIGHT ENDORSEMENT: Izzy Smith-Wade-El for Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Izzy Smith-Wade-El is the President of the council of the City of Lancaster, having just won reelection to his second term as a Victory Fund-endorsed candidate. He currently serves as a program specialist at LanCoMyHome, where he coordinates services and support for Lancaster County’s housing insecure community. As the vice chair of the Lancaster County Democratic Party and an organizer at heart, Izzy knocks doors with candidates up and down the ballot every year, from school board to Congress. Izzy would be the first out LGBTQ and first Black state Representative from Lancaster and join Malcolm Kenyatta as the second Black out LGBTQ state Representative.

ELEVATED SPOTLIGHT ENDORSEMENT: LaWana Slack-Mayfield for Charlotte (NC) City Council

LaWana is an activist who formerly served as the District 3 councilmember from 2011-2018. She also previously worked as the Project Justice Coordinator for Mecklenburg County, where she focused on Immigration Reform and ending For-Profit Prisons. Lawana is endorsed by LPAC, Vote Pro Choice, and recently received the significant endorsement of the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg as the top vote-getter out of four Black candidates. If elected, LaWana would be the first Black out LGBTQ At-Large member of the Charlotte City Council!

ELEVATED SPOTLIGHT ENDORSEMENT: Ben Chou for Harris (TX) County Commission

Ben is a Houstonian voting rights advocate who previously worked for U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Martin O’Malley, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. He is a young dynamic progressive leader with an immigrant background. Ben’s vying for the most competitive Harris County Commissioner seat that will certainly go for the Democrats and grant them a historic 4-1 supermajority. Should Ben advance after the May 24th runoff, his campaign will work to unseat Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, one of the last Republicans in Harris County who has a war chest of over $1million.