Washington, DC – Today Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed eight candidates in state and local races. Danica Roem, running for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, received a spotlight endorsement, and would become the first state legislator to win as an openly transgender candidate if elected.
“We have a groundbreaking opportunity to make Danica Roem the first state legislator to win as an out trans candidate – and we are determined to help her to a primary victory this June,” said Aisha C. Moodie-Mills, President & CEO at Victory Fund. “Currently there is zero trans representation in any state legislature, making it easy for extremist politicians to push forward the flood of anti-trans bills we’ve seen across the country. Representation is power, so a win for Danica is a critical first step to electing more trans people who can be a voice for the community and fight back against anti-equality efforts.”
Among the other endorsees are three LGBTQ candidates running for local races in Texas. The Texas state legislature continues to introduce dozens of bills targeting the LGBTQ community, including a religious exemption bill that allows business owners to deny service to LGBTQ people. If elected, these local LGBTQ leaders can help protect people in their communities by passing policies that mitigate the effects of any anti-equality bills from the state legislature.
Since 1991, Victory Fund has helped thousands of openly LGBTQ candidates win local, state and federal elections.
Spotlight Candidate
Danica Roem, Virginia House of Delegates, HD-13
Endorsed Candidates
Reginald Bledsoe, Newark School Board (NJ)
Johnny Boucher, Grand Prairie Independent School District, Position 4 (TX)
Joshua Carter, El Paso Community College Trustee, District 7 (TX)
Omar Narvaez, Dallas City Council, District 6 (TX)
Henry Sias, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge (PA)
Endorsed Incumbents
LaWana Mayfield, Charlotte City Council, District 3 (NC)
Carol Becker, Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation (MN)
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Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBT Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at all levels of government.
