Only Arizona would have more openly LGBTQ Latinx state legislators
Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed six openly LGBTQ candidates for the Florida state legislature – more than ever before. If all are elected, Florida would double LGBTQ representation in its state legislature, elect its first openly LGBTQ state senator, and have the second most openly LGBTQ Latinx state legislators in the country.
The non-incumbent endorsees include Gabriela De Jesus, Javier Estevez and Ricky Junquera, as well as Florida state Representative Shevrin Jones who is running for state Senate. The incumbent endorsees are Carlos Guillermo Smith and Jennifer Webb.
If elected, Jones would become the first openly LGBTQ Florida state senator and De Jesus the first openly LGBTQ woman of color in the state legislature. If De Jesus, Estevez, Guillermo Smith, and Junquera all win their elections, Florida would have four openly LGBTQ Latinx state legislators, more than any state aside from Arizona, which has five.
“Florida voters have an opportunity to double the number of LGBTQ people in their state legislature – a dramatic increase in a state that lags the country in protections for LGBTQ people,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “To have so many diverse LGBTQ voices in Tallahassee would be transformative for the state, influencing policies and legislation and ultimately moving the state forward on equality issues.”
Florida currently has 29 openly LGBTQ elected officials, including the three state legislators. According to the Movement Advancement Project, Florida is one of 26 states with low levels of equality for LGBTQ people.
Victory Fund has endorsed 66 openly LGBTQ candidates for 2020 so far. More information about the 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 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.
