Today, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund is proud to announce its February endorsement slate of LGBTQ+ candidates running for office, which includes 43 new and incumbent candidates from 20 states and Washington, DC – AL, AZ, CA, CO, GA, IA, IL, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, NC, NE, OH, OR, RI, TN, TX and WI.
Highlights of this endorsement cycle include: Out LGBTQ+ Rep. Mark Pocan, who is running for reelection to represent Wisconsin’s 2nd District. Amanda Gonzalez is the second LGBTQ+ candidate running for statewide office in Colorado, and the tenth endorsed this year. If elected, she would be the first Latina and first out person to serve as Colorado Secretary of State. Audrey Lux is running in a special election for the Georgia House of Representatives on March 10 and could be the state’s first trans member of the legislature if she wins! Councilwoman Stormie Forte, the top vote-getter in the past two election cycles, will be the only out LGBTQ+ member of the Raleigh City Council if she wins her November reelection. Jenny Bell is an experienced education professional running for the Metro Nashville Public School Board in Tennessee in early May. LGBTQ+ leadership on school boards, especially in the South, is more important than ever. Zachary Parker, the only out LGBTQ+ member of the Washington, DC City Council, is running for reelection this year.
To date,128 candidates have received LGBTQ+ Victory Fund’s endorsement for the 2026 campaign cycle. To earn LGBTQ+ Victory Fund’s endorsement, a candidate must be an out member of the LGBTQ+ community who supports LGBTQ+ equality and the right to bodily autonomy and demonstrates a path to victory.
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund endorses the following candidates:
2026 Incumbents Endorsed February 2026
Sam Bell (he/him) – Rhode Island State Senate, District 5
Bridget Bellavigna (she/her) – Maricopa County Constable, Kyrene Justice Precinct, AZ
Ken Cheuvront (he/him) – Encanto Justice of the Peace, AZ
Christine Cockley (she/her) – Ohio House of Representatives, District 6
Scott Dibble (he/him) – Minnesota State Senate, District 61
Angel Encinas (he/him) – Chandler City Council, At-Large, AZ
V. Fixmer-Oraiz (they/them) – Johnson County Board of Supervisors, District 4, IA
Stormie Forte (she/her) – Raleigh City Council, At-Large, NC
Carmella Glenn (she/her) – Madison Common Council, District 18, WI
Dustin Heuerman (he/him) – Champaign County Sheriff, IL
Anne Kaiser (she/her) – Maryland House of Delegates, District 14
Karyn Lathan (she/her) – Maricopa County Constable, University Lakes Justice Precinct, AZ
Christine Lewis (she/her) – Metro Council, District 2, OR
Jason Lyon (he/him) – Pasadena City Council, District 7, CA
Byron Macfarlane (he/him) – Register of Wills for Howard County, MD
Amanda Maris (she/her) – District Court Judge, District 16, NC
Thomas Moakley (he/him) – Massachusetts House of Representatives, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket
Jason Morgan (he/him) – Michigan House of Representatives, District 23
Sean O’Brien (he/him) – Madison Common Council, District 16, WI
Zachary Parker (he/him) – DC City Council, Ward 5
Mark Pocan (he/him) – U.S. House of Representatives. WI-02
Freddy Puza (he/him) – Culver City Council, At-Large, CA
Janani Ramachandran (she/her) – Oakland City Council, District 4, CA
Mandi Remington (she/her) – Johnson County Board of Supervisors, District 5, IA
Mark Spreitzer (he/him) – Wisconsin State Senate, District 15
Anthony Tordillos (he/him) – San Jose City Council, District 3, CA
Elizabeth Velasco (she/her) – Colorado House of Representatives, District 57
Aime Wichtendahl (she/her) – Iowa House of Representatives, District 80
New Endorsed Candidates February 2026
Jennifer Bell (she/her) – Metro Nashville Public School Board, District 4, TN
Jordan Brown (he/him) – Texas House of Representatives, District 120
Amanda Gonzalez (she/her) – Colorado Secretary of State
Alexis Hoffkling (she/her) – Colorado House of Representatives, District 23
Brett Jones (he/him) – Madison County Sheriff, AL
Audrey Lux (she/her) – Georgia House of Representatives, District 94
Richard Perque (he/him) – Civil District Court Judge, Division M, LA
Robin Richards (she/her) – Nebraska State Legislature, District 12
Matt Rinker (he/him) – Georgia House of Representatives, District 62
Jessica Rivera (she/her) – North Carolina State Senate, District 4
Kori Rodley (she/her) – Oregon House of Representatives, District 7
Maria Sinkule (she/her) – DuPage County Board, District 1, IL
Jayden Speed (he/him) – Nebraska State Legislature, District 2
Gena Ozols (she/her) – Colorado House of Representatives, District 3
Joanna Whaley (she/her) – Michigan House of Representatives, District 2
Find a searchable database of all endorsed candidates on the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund website. For interviews and additional background on LGBTQ+ candidates running nationwide, contact press@victoryfund.org.
About LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund works to achieve and sustain equality by increasing the number of out LGBTQ+ elected officials at all levels of government while ensuring they reflect the diversity of those they serve. Since 1991, Victory Fund has helped thousands of LGBTQ+ candidates win local, state and federal elections. victoryfund.org
