Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund – the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office – endorsed 24 more LGBTQ candidates for the 2021 and 2022 election cycles and elevated New Jersey state Senate candidate Vincent Solomeno to Spotlight Candidate status. Solomeno would be the first out state senator in New Jersey history if elected in November.
Among the 2021 endorsees is Sheila Nezhad, running for mayor of Minneapolis, who just placed first at the DFL Endorsement Convention last week. Also endorsed are Heather Mizeur of Maryland and Rep. Michele Rayner of Florida – both candidates for U.S. Congress in 2022. Mizeur would be the first out LGBTQ member of Congress from Maryland and Rayner the first Black out LGBTQ woman member of Congress.
“The LGBTQ candidates we endorse today will champion equality at the local, state and federal levels – blocking bills attacking anti-trans students, passing laws that ban conversion therapy and changing hearts and minds in their communities along the way,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “We have groundbreaking candidates running across the country this year and next and together we can help them cross the finish line.”
The complete list of candidate endorsements announced today is below:
2021 General Candidate Elevated to Spotlight Candidate
Vincent Solomeno (he/him/his)
New Jersey State Senate, District 13
General Election: 11/2/2021
2021 General Candidate Endorsements
Willie Burnley Jr. (he/him/his)
Somerville City Council, At-Large- MA
Primary Election: 9/14/2021
General Election: 11/2/2021
Will Garcia (he/him/his)
Mayor of Adrian, MI
General Election: 11/2/2021
Don Guardian (he/him/his)
New Jersey State Assembly, District 2
General Election: 11/2/2021
Charlotte Kelly (she/her/hers)
Somerville City Council, At-Large- MA
Primary Election: 9/14/2021
General Election: 11/2/2021
Alex Myers (he/him/his)
Hatboro Borough Council – PA
General Election: 11/2/2021
Sheila Nezhad (she/her/hers)
Mayor of Minneapolis, MN
General Election: 11/2/2021
Xander Orenstein (they/them/theirs)
Magisterial Court Judge- PA
General Election: 11/2/2021
Michael Poppa (he/him/his)
Roeland Park City Council – KS
General Election: 11/2/2021
Carmen Rivera (she/her/hers)
Renton City Council- WA
Primary Election: 8/3/2021
General Election: 11/2/2021
Jimmy Sabatino (he/him/his)
Luzerne County Council – PA
General Election: 11/2/2021
Minita Sanghvi (she/her/hers)
Saratoga Springs City Council Finance Commissioner- NY
General Election: 11/2/2021
Gabriela Santiago-Romero (she/her/hers)
Detroit City Council- MI
General Election: 11/2/2021
2022 Game Changer Candidate Endorsements
Heather Mizeur (she/her/hers)
U.S. House of Representatives, MD-01
Primary Election: 6/28/2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
Michele Rayner-Goolsby (she/they)
U.S. House of Representatives, FL-13
Primary Election: 8/23/2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
2022 General Candidate Endorsements
Kevin James (he/him/his)
Los Angeles City Attorney
Primary Election: 6/7/2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
Thomas Wong (he/him/his)
California State Assembly, District 49
Primary Election: 6/7/2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
2021 Incumbent Endorsements
Liz Breadon (she/her/hers)
Boston City Council, District 9– MA
Primary Election: 9/14/2021
General Election: 11/2/2021
Megan Kilgore (she/her/hers)
Columbus City Auditor- OH
General Election: 11/2/2021
Kerry McCormack (he/him/his)
Cleveland City Council, Ward 3 – OH
Primary Election: 9/14/2021
General Election: 11/2/2021
Cesar Stewart-Morales (he/him/his)
Framingham City Council, District 2 – MA
Primary Election: 9/14/2021
General Election: 11/2/2021
2022 Incumbent Endorsements
Ricardo Lara (he/him/his)
California Insurance Commissioner
Primary Election: 6/7/2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
Matt McCoy (he/him/his)
Polk County Supervisor, District 5 – IA
Primary Election: 6/7/2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
Dana Nessel (She/Her/Hers)
Michigan Attorney General
Primary Election: TBD, June 2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
Neil Rafferty (he/him/his)
Alabama House of Representatives, District 54
Primary Election: 5/24/2022
General Election: 11/8/2022
More information about all of Victory Fund’s endorsed candidates is available 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 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.