Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed 80 more out LGBTQ candidates running in the 2022 midterms. This is the largest number of LGBTQ candidates endorsed by Victory Fund in one month ever, further illustrating the historic momentum behind LGBTQ people running for public office across the country. Victory Fund has now endorsed 206 candidates for 2022.
Candidates endorsed today include U.S. House candidate Robert Zimmerman (NY-03), who would be the first out LGBTQ member of Congress from Long Island. Zimmerman was given Game Changer candidate status. Mayoral candidate Ty Penserga, who would be the first out LGBTQ mayor of Boynton Beach, Florida, was upgraded to Spotlight candidate status.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, released the following statement about the new endorsements:
“Today’s endorsements signal a historic moment for the LGBTQ community – this is the most out LGBTQ people we have ever endorsed in a single month and there are more out LGBTQ people running for public office than ever before in history. This midterm election is about enthusiasm. Voters across the country are excited – and determined – to elect candidates with diverse perspectives who instill messages of hope, acceptance and courage. This is just the beginning. The Rainbow Wave is stronger than ever.”
The complete list of candidate endorsements announced today is below:
Game Changer Endorsement
Robert Zimmerman (he/him)
U.S. House of Representatives, NY-03
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Upgraded to Spotlight Endorsement
Ty Penserga (he/him)
Mayor of Boynton Beach, FL
General: 3/8/2022
General Endorsements
Phillip Bailey (he/him)
Glendale Board of Aldermen, District 4, WI
General: 4/5/2022
Jimmy Biblarz (he/him)
Los Angeles City Council, District 5, CA
Primary: 6/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Precious Brady-Davis (she/her)
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commission, IL
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Porscha Brown (she/her)
Harris County Criminal Court, No. 3, TX
Primary: 3/1/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Todd Connor (he/him)
Indiana State Senate, District 4
Primary: 5/3/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Steve Duble (he/him)
Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2, TX
Primary: 3/1/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Kris Fair (he/him)
Maryland House of Delegates, District 3A
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Dom Gelsomino (he/him)
Idaho House of Representatives, District 21A
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Adam Gentle (he/him)
Florida House of Representatives, District 120
Primary: 8/23/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Denise Hernández (she/her)
Travis County Court at Law, No. 6, TX
Primary: 3/1/2022
General: 11/8/2022
SJ Howell (they/them)
Montana House of Representatives, District 95
Primary: 6/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Aurora Hurd (they/them)
Winooski City Council, VT
General: 3/1/2022
Celia Israel (she/her)
Mayor of Austin, TX
General: 11/8/2022
Marybeth Lennox-Levins (she/her)
Rutland City Board of School Commissioners, VT
General: 3/1/2022
Ashanti Martinez (he/him)
Maryland House of Delegates, District 22
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Jaylin McClinton (he/him)
Cook County Commission, District 5, IL
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Jim Obergefell (he/him)
Ohio House of Representatives, District 89
Primary: 5/3/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Krystal Oriadha (she/her)
Prince George’s County Council, District 7, MD
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Thomas Renner (he/him)
Winooski City Council, VT
General: 3/1/2022
Joseph Rocha (he/him)
California State Senate, District 40
Primary: 6/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Nick Ross (they/them)
Appleton Area School District Board of Education
Primary: 2/15/2022
General: 4/5/2022
Alex Ruggiers (he/him)
Norman Public School Board, Office 2, OK
Runoff: 4/5/2022
Izzy Smith-Wade-El (he/him)
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 50
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Jacob Torgerson (he/him)
Montana House of Representatives, District 81
Primary: 6/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Michael Weaver (he/him)
Cook County Circuit Court, IL
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Sandis Wright (he/him)
Andover School Committee, MA
General: 3/22/2022
General Incumbent Endorsements
James Aguilar (he/him)
San Leandro Unified School District Board of Trustees, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Brian Alston (he/him)
Sumter School District Board of Trustees, SC
General: 11/8/2022
Nickie Antonio (she/her)
Ohio State Senate, District 23
Primary: 5/3/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Lisa Belcastro (she/her)
Maryland House of Delegates, District 11
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Rachel Bell (she/her)
Davidson County General Sessions Court, Division 8, TN
Primary: 5/3/2022
General: 8/4/2022
Pamela Boozer-Strother (she/her)
Prince George’s County Board of Education, District 3, MD
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Joshua Boschee (he/him)
North Dakota House of Representatives, District 44
Primary: 6/14/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Andrés Cano (he/him)
Arizona House of Representatives, District 20
Primary: 8/3/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Tim Carpenter (he/him)
Wisconsin State Senate, District 3
Primary: 8/9/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Brian Cina (they/he/she)
Vermont House of Representatives, Chittenden 6-4
Primary: 8/9/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Domonique Clemons (he/him)
Genesee County Commission, District 4, MI
Primary: 8/2/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Luke Clippinger (he/him)
Maryland House of Delegates, District 46
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Julian Cyr (he/him)
Massachusetts State Senate, Cape and Islands
Primary: 9/6/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Allison Dahle (she/her)
North Carolina House of Representatives, District 11
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Scott Dibble (he/him)
Minnesota State Senate, District 61
Primary: 8/9/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Evan Glass (he/him)
Montgomery County Council, At-Large, MD
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Deborah Glick (she/her)
New York State Assembly, District 66
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Jessica González (she/her)
Texas House of Representatives, District 104
Primary: 3/1/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Mary González (she/her)
Texas House of Representatives, District 75
Primary: 3/1/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Jessica González-Rojas (she/her)
New York State Assembly, District 34
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Patricia Hansen (she/her)
Evesham Township Council, NJ
Primary: 6/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Natalie Higgins (she/her)
Massachusetts House of Representatives, 4th Worcester
Primary: 9/6/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Scott Houston (he/him)
West Basin Municipal Water District Board, Division 4, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Julie Johnson (she/her)
Texas House of Representatives, District 115
Primary: 3/1/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Keir Jones (he/him)
Signal Hill City Council, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Anne Kaiser (she/her)
Maryland House of Delegates, 14
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Rebecca Kislak (she/her)
Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 4
Primary: 9/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Derek Kitchen (he/him)
Utah State Senate, District 2
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Rebecca Perkins Kwoka (she/her)
New Hampshire State Senate, District 21
Primary: 9/13/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Evan Low (he/him)
California State Assembly, District 26
Primary: 6/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Joe Magee (he/they)
Burlington City Council, Ward 3, VT
General: 3/1/2022
Rafael Mandelman (he/him)
San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 8, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Amanda Maris (she/her)
Durham County District Court Judge, District 14, NC
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Darlene Martinez (she/her)
Maricopa County Constable, Downtown Precinct, AZ
Primary: 8/2/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Marcia Morey (she/her)
North Carolina House of Representatives, District 30
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Emma Mulvaney-Stanak (she/her)
Vermont House of Representatives, Chittenden 6-2
Primary: 8/9/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Greta Neubauer (she/her)
Wisconsin State Assembly, District 66
Primary: 8/9/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Rob Nosse (he/him)
Oregon House of Representatives, District 42
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
David Ortiz (he/him)
Colorado House of Representatives, District 38
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Samuel Park (he/him)
Georgia House of Representatives, District 107
Primary: 5/24/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Luke Peterson (he/him)
Lower Platte South Natural Resources District Board, Subdistrict 7, NE
Primary: 5/10/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Lois Reckitt (she/her)
Maine House of Representatives, District 31
Primary: 6/14/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Paul Rolli (he/him)
Wilton Manors City Commission, FL
General: 11/8/2022
Dan Ryan (he/him)
Portland City Commission, OR
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Adam Scanlon (he/him)
Massachusetts House of Representatives, 14th Bristol, MA
Primary: 9/6/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Liz Sheehan (she/her)
Lexington City Council, District 5, KY
Primary: 5/17/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Michael Smith (he/him)
Largo City Commission, Seat 1, FL
General: 11/8/2022
Evelyn Rios Stafford (she/her)
Washington County Justice of the Peace, District 12, AR
Primary: 5/24/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Mauree Turner (they/them)
Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 88
Primary: 6/28/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Christopher Ward (he/him)
California State Assembly, District 78
Primary: 6/7/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Mary Wiseman (she/her)
Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, General Division, OH
Primary: 5/3/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Dennis Woods (he/him)
Palm Springs City Council, District 2, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Erin Zwiener (she/her)
Texas House of Representatives, District 45
Primary: 3/1/2022
General: 11/8/2022
More information about all of Victory Fund’s endorsed candidates is available at victoryfund.org/ourcandidates.
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LGBTQ Victory Fund
LGBTQ Victory Fund works to achieve and sustain equality by increasing the number of openly 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 openly LGBTQ candidates win local, state and federal elections.
