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Washington, DC – Yesterday, LGBTQ Victory Fund endorsed candidate Kim Jackson officially won her primary for the Georgia state Senate, capturing more than 50 percent of the vote and avoiding a runoff. She is on-track to become the first openly LGBTQ person elected to that chamber. The primary was held last Tuesday, but mail-in ballots were being counted throughout this past weekend. Jackson’s heavily Democratic district makes it likely she will secure a general election victory in November.
Two non-incumbent Georgia state legislative candidates also won their primary races last week – Julie Jordan and Marvin Lim – as did all five incumbent state legislators: Reps. Park Cannon, Karla Drenner, Sam Park, Renitta Shannon and Matthew Wilson.
Currently there are just 19 openly LGBTQ elected officials in all of Georgia.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, released the following statement about the victories in Georgia:
“Kim Jackson is one step closer to shattering a lavender ceiling and becoming the first out LGBTQ member of the Georgia state Senate. In 2020, we have an enormous opportunity to build LGBTQ political power in the Georgia state legislature and these primary victories are a critical step forward. Georgia lags nearly every state in the nation in protecting LGBTQ people, but growing LGBTQ representation in the state legislature will be transformative.”
More information about Victory Fund and its candidates is available on its website 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.