
A historic number of LGBTQ candidates are running this election cycle
Washington, DC – Super Tuesday election results so far indicate a strong night for LGBTQ candidates, with 28 Victory Fund endorsed LGBTQ candidates winning their primaries and one headed to a primary runoff as of 10am ET. A total of 38 Victory Fund candidates were on the ballot yesterday and three races remain too close to call. So far, 74 percent of Victory Fund candidates on Super Tuesday ballots won their primaries. More than 730 openly LGBTQ candidates are running for office in 2020 – more than any other time in history.
Many of the candidates who won Tuesday are running historic campaigns, including:
- Todd Gloria, who placed first in his primary, and could become the first openly LGBTQ person elected mayor of San Diego;
- Gina Ortiz Jones, who won her primary, and could become the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from Texas;
- Georgette Gomez, who placed second in her top-two primary, and could become the first openly LGBTQ Latina member of Congress; and
- Jenna Wadsworth, who won her primary, and could become the first openly LGBTQ elected statewide constitutional officer in North Carolina and the youngest LGBTQ person ever elected to a statewide position. She is running for the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, released the following statement about the victories:
“We are building toward a rainbow revolution in November, with historic LGBTQ candidates running in parts of the country and for levels of government that we never have before. We can double our representation in Congress, elect two big city mayors and dramatically expand the number of state legislators nationwide. We are rewriting the rules on electability and embracing the fact that America is ready to elect LGBTQ candidates up and down the ballot. More than 730 LGBTQ candidates are running in major cities and small towns because they want to make a difference in their communities, but the impact on perceptions of LGBTQ people will be enormous as well.”
Below is a complete list of Victory Fund endorsed candidates who won their primaries or advanced to the November elections on Super Tuesday:
State | First Name | Last Name | Office | District |
AR | Tippi | McCullough | Arkansas House of Representatives | District 33 |
CA | Christopher | Ward | California State Assembly | District 78 |
CA | Evan | Low | California State Assembly | District 28 |
CA | Georgette | Gomez | US House of Representatives | CA-53 |
CA | John | Laird | California State Senate | District 17 |
CA | Sabrina | Cervantes | California State Assembly | District 60 |
CA | Scott | Weiner | California State Senate | District 11 |
CA | Susan | Talamantes Eggman | California State Senate | District 5 |
CA | Todd | Gloria | Mayor of San Diego | |
CA | Toni | Atkins | California State Senate President pro Tempore | District 39 |
NC | Allison | Dahle | North Carolina House of Representatives | District 11 |
NC | Deb | Butler | North Carolina House of Representatives | District 18 |
NC | Jasmine | Beach-Ferrara | Buncombe County Commission | District 1 |
NC | Jenna | Wadsworth | North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture | |
NC | Marcia | Morgan | North Carolina House of Representatives | District 19 |
NC | Vernetta | Alston | North Carolina House of Representatives | District 29 |
TN | Jennifer | Smith | Criminal Court Division IV | 20th Judicial District |
TX | Ann | Johnson | Texas House of Representatives | District 134 |
TX | Celia | Israel | Texas House of Representatives | District 50 |
TX | Eliz | Markowitz | Texas House of Representatives | District 28 |
TX | Eric | Holguin | Texas House of Representatives | District 32 |
TX | Erin | Zwierner | Texas House of Representatives | District 45 |
TX | Gina | Ortiz Jones | U.S. House of Representatives | TX-23 |
TX | Julie | Johnson | Texas House of Representatives | District 115 |
TX | Kelli | Johnson | 178th Criminal District Court Judge | |
TX | Kim | Ogg | Harris County District Attorney | |
TX | Mary | Gonzalez | Texas House of Representatives | District 75 |
TX | Selena | Alvarenga | District Court Judge | 460th Judicial District |
Below are the candidates in races that are still too close to call:
CA | Joy | Silver | California State Senate | District 28 |
CA | Steve | Hansen | Sacramento City Council | District 4 |
CA | Terra | Lawson-Remer | San Diego County Board of Supervisors |
Laurie Eiserloh, running for Travis County Attorney in Texas, will head to a primary runoff.
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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.