Historic candidates would become first out LGBTQ elected officialsin Kansas, Nebraska State Legislatures
Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed 55 more candidates for elected positions across the nation. The latest slate brings to 272 its total number of endorsements for the 2018 election cycle, shattering its previous record of 180 candidates in 2012. The record-breaking numbers reflect the Rainbow Wave of LGBTQ candidates running for office this year and the potential to dramatically increase the number of LGBTQ elected officials at every level of government.
“Never before in our 27-year history have we seen so many viable and qualified LGBTQ leaders standing up to run for office,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “While the Rainbow Wave of LGBTQ candidates is impressive in numbers, we are also running for more high-level offices than ever before and for positions where no openly LGBTQ person has served. We can elect our first out trans governor, our first representatives to the Kansas and Nebraska state legislatures, and a historic number of LGBTQ leaders to Congress. This surge in LGBTQ political power is important not only because the LGBTQ community needs us, but because America needs us. Our nation needs more values-driven leaders determined to find solutions to the issues that matter most to everyday Americans – and they are finding those leaders in our LGBTQ candidates.”
Among the latest round of endorsees is Tracy Mitrano, a U.S. House candidate for New York’s 23rd Congressional district who is running against a pro-Trump incumbent. She received a Game Changer endorsement for the national implications of a victory for her on Election Day. Receiving Spotlight endorsements were Megan Hunt and Scott Winkler, both running for the Nebraska Legislature and either will become the first openly LGBTQ people in that body if elected. Susan Ruiz, candidate for Kansas House of Representatives, also received a Spotlight endorsement. She joins previously announced Spotlight candidate Brandon Woodard in running to become the first openly LGBTQ people elected to the Kansas state legislature.
Of the 272 LGBTQ candidates endorsed in 2018, 224 are still in their races and will appear on general election ballots in November. You can view Victory Fund’s 2018 Rainbow Wave by the Numbers report – released last week – online at victoryfund.org/rainbowwave2018.
A complete list of candidate endorsements announced today is below:
Game Changer Candidate:
Tracy Mitrano, U.S. House of Representatives, NY-23
Spotlight Candidates:
Megan Hunt, Nebraska Legislature, District 8
Scott Winkler, Nebraska Legislature, District 18
Susan Ruiz, Kansas House of Representatives, District 23
General Candidates:
Sarah Scanlon, North Little Rock (AR) School Board, Zone 7
Alexandria Brown, Chico (CA) City Council, At-Large
Denise Davis, Redlands (CA) City Council, District 1
Jason Galisatus, Redwood (CA) City Council, At-Large
Alex Gutierrez, Tulare (CA) City Council, District 2
Rosanna Herber, Sacramento (CA) Municipal Utility District, Ward 4
Laura Parmer-Lohan, San Carlos (CA) City Council, At-Large
Cori Schumacher, Carlsbad (CA) Mayor
Whitney Weddell, Kern County (CA) Supervisor, District 2
Cesar Zepeda, Richmond (CA) City Council, At-Large
Dionne Reeder, D.C. Council, At-Large
Javier Estevez, Florida House of Representatives, District 105
Maggie Trevor, Illinois House of Representatives, District 54
Evan Ross, Amherst (MA) Town Council, District 4
Gerri Cannon, New Hampshire House of Representatives, District 18
Caitlin Giles-McCormick, Flemington (NJ) Borough Council
Melanie Scheible, Nevada State Senate, District 9
Aidan O’Connor, New York State Assembly, District 102
Chelsey Branham, Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 83
CM Hall, Newport (OR) City Hall, At-Large
Rebecca Kislak, Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 4
Samuel Bell, Rhode Island State Senate, District 5
Charles Spain, Texas Court of Appeals District 14, Place 4
Lee Snodgrass, Wisconsin State Senate, District 19
Matt Spurlock, West Virginia House of Delegates, District 16
Lyn Franks, Alaska House of Representatives, District 15
Paul Gonzalez, Santa Ana (CA) City Council, Ward 2
Phil Kim, San Francisco Unified School District
Mia Satya, San Francisco Unified School District
Betty Valencia, Orange (CA) City Council, At-Large
Teri Johnston, Mayor of Key West (FL)
Chris Miller, Madison County (IL) Treasurer
Tanya Neslusan, Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1st Hampden District
Wendy Berry, West St. Paul (MN) City Council, Ward 3
Neil Abadie, Jersey City (NJ) Board of Education, At-Large
Meghan Huryk, Neptune City (NJ) Borough Council
Matt Titone, New York Surrogate Court of Richmond County (Staten Island)
Taylor Sappington, Ohio House of Representatives, District 94
Beach Pace, Hillsboro (OR) City Council, Ward 1, Seat A
Incumbents:
Lori Droste, Berkeley (CA) City Council, District 8
Todd Gloria, California State Assembly, District 78
Shevrin Jones, Florida House of Representatives, District 101
Sam Yingling, Illinois House of Representatives, District 62
Susan Lamb, Lexington (KY) County Council, District 4
Bonnie Cullison, Maryland House of Delegates, District 19
Greg Razer, Missouri House of Representatives, District 25
Greg Ford, Wake County (NC) Board of Commissioner
Amanda Maris, North Carolina District Court Judge, District 14
Michael Scott, King County (WA) Superior Court Judge
Shay Franco-Clausen, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, District 5
Evan Low, California State Assembly, District 28
This is the eleventh round of endorsements by Victory Fund for the 2018 election cycle. All currently running openly LGBTQ endorsed candidates can be seen 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.
