Today we endorsed 48 new openly LGBTQ candidates — increasing to 172 the number of openly LGBTQ candidates we endorsed for 2019. Never in our 28-year history have we endorsed so many LGBTQ candidates in an odd-numbered election year, and that number will grow exponentially in 2020.
Among today’s endorsees are Texas state House candidates Eliz Markowitz and Shawn Terry. Markowitz received our Spotlight endorsement in her 2019 special election race for an open seat in the Texas state House. The race is receiving outsized attention because it is held by a retiring Republican and is key to Democratic efforts to take back the state House in 2020. Democrats need to gain nine seats to win the chamber, and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz won Markowitz’s district in 2018 by just three points.
Terry’s 2020 race is also considered critical to securing a Democratic majority. He is off to a strong start – raising more in contributions than any other 2020 Texas state legislative candidate in a red-leaning district that is shifting rapidly toward Democrats in recent elections. While we are non-partisan, the reality is that the Republican-led Texas state legislature has introduced dozens of anti-LGBTQ bills in the past several years. A Democratic majority in the state House would almost certainly kill any anti-LGBTQ legislative efforts.
The other 46 candidates we endorsed today are:
General Candidates
Nelvin Adriatico, Houston City Council, District J
N.J. Akbar, Akron (OH) Public Schools Board of Education, At-Large
Chauntyll Allen, St. Paul (MN) Board of Education (ISD 624), At-Large
Sheena Barnes, Toledo (OH) Public Schools Board of Education, At-Large
Karen Bolton, Bremerton (WA) School District No. 100-C
Merisa Bowers, Gahanna City (OH) Council, At-Large
Robert Case, Framingham City (MA) Council District 5
Alison Coombs, Aurora City (CO) Council, Ward V
Benjamin Dickens, Roeland Park (KS) City Council, Ward 2
Philip Du, Dutchess County (NY) Legislature, District 15
Andrew Gilchrist, Perinton Town (NY) Supervisor
Joseph Geierman, Mayor of Doraville (GA)
Sophia Hawes-Tingey, Midvale City (UT) Council, District 2
Justin Gould, University Heights (OH) City Council, At-Large
Meredith Hegg, Upper Darby (PA) School Director, At-Large
Jason Hoskins, Southfield City (MI) Council, At-Large
Meghan Huryk, Neptune City (NJ) Borough Council
Amani Johnson, Southfield City (MI) Council, At-Large
Shelley Kennedy, Houston City Council, District C
Isabel Longoria, Houston City Council, District H
Mike McFall, Hazel Park City (MI) Council, At-Large
David Neill, Upper Darby (PA) School Director, At-Large
Zachary Niemiec, North Tonawanda (NY) Common Council, Ward 2
Corina Pfeil, Kenmore City (WA) Council, Position 7
Donna Price, Albemarle County (VA) Board of Supervisors, Scottsville District
Jerred Price, Memphis City (TN) Council, District 7
John Rach, University Heights (OH) City Council, At-Large
Air Rhodes, Beacon (NY) City Council, Ward 2
Holly Ryan, Newton City Council, Ward 8
Beth Salkind, Pennsylvania Magisterial District Judge, District 32-2-52
Greg Smith, City and Borough of Juneau (AK) Assembly, District 1
Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, Glen Cove City (NY) Council, At-Large
Cesar Stewart-Morales, Framingham City (MA) Council, District 2
Lori Trent, Upper Arlington (OH) Board of Education, At-Large
Richard Trojanski, Maple Heights (OH) City Council, District 6
Damien Warsavage, Upper Darby (PA) School Director, At-Large
Andy Yeoman, Doraville (GA) City Council, District 1
Incumbent Candidates
P.J. Brennan, College Park (MD) City Council, District 2
Jane Campbell, Davidson Town (NC) Council, At-Large
Jane Cera, Clinton Township (OH) Trustee
James Demetriades, Cromwell (CT) Town Council, At-Large
Mitra Nelson, St. Paul (MN) City Council, Ward 4
Ryan O’Malley, Malden (MA) City Council, Ward 4
Henry Schwaller, Hays (KS) City Commission, At-Large
Jordan Sears, Gold Bar (WA) City Council, Position 5
Deb Steele, Clinton Township (OH) Fiscal Officer