Washington, DC –Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed 16 more candidates for elected positions across the nation. Victory Fund has now endorsed 182 LGBTQ candidates this cycle – more than at any time in its 27-year history.
Two of the 16 candidates received Game Changer endorsements – U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in his run for New York Attorney General and Minnesota State Rep. Erin Maye Quade in her run for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. Game Changer status is awarded to statewide or federal candidates who are poised to make an outsized impact on equality. With wins on Election Day, both would become the first openly LGBTQ people elected statewide in their respective states.
“More out LGBTQ leaders are running for statewide elected office than at anytime in history,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “While these candidates are running to serve the constituents of their states, they are also important voices of influence for our community and role models for other LGBTQ people considering a run for office. We are thrilled to endorse Sean Patrick Maloney and Erin Maye Quade not only because they are groundbreaking candidates, but because of their established records of exemplary public service.”
The complete list of today’s endorsements is below.
Game Changer Candidates
Sean Patrick Maloney, New York Attorney General
Erin Maye Quade, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Endorsed Candidates
Garnet Lewis, Michigan State Senate, District 26
Darlene Martinez, Maricopa County (AZ) Constable of Downtown Justice Court
Marcia Morgan, North Carolina House of Representatives, District 19
Amaad Rivera, Massachusetts State Senate, Hampden District
John Scott, Connecticut House of Representatives, District 40
Brianna Titone, Colorado House of Representatives, District 27
Kevin Higgins, Massachusetts House of Representatives, 7th Plymouth District
Lasia Casil, Guam Legislature
Endorsed Incumbent Candidates
Daneya Esgar, Colorado House of Representatives, District 46
Scott Houston, West Basin (CA) Municipal Water District, Division 4
Rafael Mandelman, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 8
Donna Nesselbush, Rhode Island State Senate, District 15
Daniel O’Donnell, New York State Assembly, District 69
JoCasta Zamarripa, Wisconsin State Assembly, District 8
This is the ninth round of endorsements by Victory Fund for the 2018 election cycle. All currently running openly LGBTQ endorsed candidates can be seen at victoryfund.org/ourcandidates.
Since 1991, Victory Fund has helped thousands of openly LGBTQ candidates win local, state and federal elections.
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LGBTQ Victory Fund
LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.
victoryfund.org
* Game Changer status is awarded to candidates with the potential to have an outsized impact on equality at the federal level. Spotlight status is a designation given to state or local candidates in history-making races and comes with additional support and services from Victory Fund to ensure they win on Election Day.
