Victory in the News

Gay Navajo man poised to join Ariz. Senate

"In most places, minorities are underrepresented in government," said Denis Dison, vice president external affairs at Victory Fund. "That’s especially true for LGBT people. Only about 500 or more than 500,000 elected officials in the U.S. are openly LGBT."

The Victory Fund endorsed Jackson’s campaign. And Dison said: "Jack easily met all our endorsement criteria."

"LGBT people who are also racial or ethnic minorities tell a more accurate story about our community," he added. "It’s part of our strength that we identify as a community, but I think we’re even stronger when we realize we’re also a subset of every other community, including the Navajo Nation."

For his part, Jackson he said he will work to bring equality to all Arizonans.

Mehlman news fuels divisive reaction

Meanwhile the Victory Fund, a gay and lesbian political group, issued a more tepid response, saying, "We hope the fact that Ken Mehlman has reached this level of honesty will now encourage other political leaders to reject divisive anti-gay campaign tactics which, as Mr. Mehlman now admits, are purely cynical attempts to manipulate the American public."

Mehlman coming out draws mixed reactions

Chuck Wolfe, CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, said he was hoping to win Mehlman’s support on LGBT issues in the future.

“Coming out is a personal decision, and it can have a profound impact on families, friends, colleagues and constituents,” Wolfe said. “We hope the fact that Ken Mehlman has reached this level of honesty will now encourage other political leaders to reject divisive anti-gay campaign tactics which, as Mr. Mehlman now admits, are purely cynical attempts to manipulate the American public.”

Political Notebook: State lawmakers endorse Oakland judicial candidate

Equality California PAC, the political arm of the statewide LGBT group, and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund are co-hosting this weekend's fundraiser for Kolakowski. The event costs $100 and will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. at the home of EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors and his partner James Williamson, co-chair of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center's board.

Right and Left Alike Pile on Out Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman

"We hope the fact that Ken Mehlman has reached this level of honesty will now encourage other political leaders to reject divisive anti-gay campaign tactics which, as Mr. Mehlman now admits, are purely cynical attempts to manipulate the American public," said Chuck Wolfe, the head of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a political organization that supports GLBT candidates in races around the nation.

Ken Mehlman: I'm 'At Peace' With Myself, There's 'Absolutely' Room For Gays In The GOP

Many high-profile LGBT activists have already embraced Mehlman since his announcement earlier Wednesday. "We hope the fact that Ken Mehlman has reached this level of honesty will now encourage other political leaders to reject divisive anti-gay campaign tactics which, as Mr. Mehlman now admits, are purely cynical attempts to manipulate the American public," Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund President and CEO Chuck Wolfe said in a public statement. Openly gay Democratic strategist Steve Elmendorf told the Huffington Post that it was "great for the community to get new converts" because "until we get 51 percent of the American public supporting us on these issues, it's really important that we welcome people who want to come help us."

Mixed Primary Night for Gay Pols

Jack Jackson Jr., a former Arizona state representative who once ran for the U.S. House of Representatives, essentially won election to the state senate Tuesday night, as he won the Democratic nomination and has no opponent in the general election. According to Denis Dison at the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, with Jackson, there will be at least five openly LGBT people in the Arizona state legislature when the new session convenes. Jackson, a member of the Navajo Nation, spent the evening celebrating with his colleague Tom Chabin, who won his state house race Tuesday.

Richard Sorian Latest Openly Gay Obama Appointee

In June, the White House announced that Obama has appointed more openly gay staffers than the administrations of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton combined.

ThePresidential Appointments Project, a community driven effort coordinated by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, was responsible for bringing many of the appointments, including Sorian, to the attention of administration officials.

The Gaying of CT Politics

“It’s still very rare for an openly gay or lesbian candidate to win statewide office,” says Denis Dison, a spokesman for the national Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. “Not many even run.”

“There are still states where they’ve never had an openly gay or lesbian state legislator,” Dison says, citing Florida and Pennsylvania as two examples. In Connecticut, where gay state lawmakers are now almost routine, Dison says “The electorate becomes more used to it; the media becomes more used to it. It just becomes less controversial and less interesting.”

SDGLN to host LGBT candidates forum on Aug. 30 at Anthology

Denis Dison, vice president of external affairs for the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute, said San Diego is a model for the rest of the country.

"San Diego is a Victory Fund success story. The LGBT community there has really embraced our mission, which is to change politics by electing openly LGBT candidates for public office,” Dison said.

“Some of the city's true LGBT heroes have been its elected officials, and we're proud to have played a role in that."

3 gay nominees held up in Senate

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has pushed for the appointment of LGBT people through the federal government as the coalition leader in the Presidential Appointments Project.

Denis Dison, a Victory Fund spokesperson, said he had no knowledge of anti-gay bias holding up the confirmation process.

“My understanding is there are tons of nominees that are still being held,” Dison said. “I think that if the president is nominating a number of LGBT people, they’re just as likely to get caught up in the politics as straight nominees.”

Victory Fund To Host First New York Brunch In September!

One of the most anticipated events every April in Washington DC is the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund's annual brunch. The sold out event in the Mayflower Hotel attracts Washington's best and brightest. This year the Victory Fund  is launching its first New York Brunch to be held on September 19th at noon. The elegant Mandarin Oriental Hotel is the location of this event.

The lineup is impressive and the list is just the beginning: Congressman Barney Frank who is Chair of the House of Representatives Banking Committee, New York City Council President Christine Quinn and President of the Victory Fund Chuck Wolfe. My favorite part of this event is that comedian and talented actor Alec Mapa is going to be Master of Ceremonies. Without a doubt, he is one of the funniest people in the entertainment industry. If you've ever seen his one man theatrical show, you know what I am talking about.

Legendary New York activist Joy Tomchin and I have agreed to CoChair the event. There are a number of table captains already. You can order your tickets by clicking here. This promises to be a fun event.

Out With the Old

Bryce Bennett, a gay 25-year-old seeking a seat in Montana’s house of representatives, hopes his promise to create jobs and fight pollution wins voters over. Bennett captured the Democratic primary for the relatively liberal district around Missoula, giving him a good shot of taking the seat of retiring congressman Robin Hamilton. Like Washington and Pougnet, the University of Montana graduate has been endorsed by the Victory Fund, the D.C.-based group that works to elect gay candidates to office.

“Being young and gay isn’t helping or hurting the campaign,” Bennett says. “Everyone I talk to tells me they want a legislator who will roll up their sleeves and deliver.”

Optimism may be a political requirement for candidates, but both Szekeres and Denis Dison, the communications vice president for the Victory Fund, sound a more cautious note.

Electoral success for gay candidates in yesterday's primaries

Via Denis Dison at Gay Politics, there were some big wins for Victory Fund endorsed candidates in primaries in Connecticut, Colorado and Georgia. And, it looks good for all three moving towards November:

In Connecticut, Kevin Lembo (pictured) won the Democratic primary for State Comptroller. Now a favorite to win the general election, Lembo’s on his way to becoming one of just a handful of openly LGBT candidates to win statewide office in the U.S.

Colorado State Senator Lucia Guzman won her Democratic primary, and is well-positioned to keep the seat to which she was recently appointed. Guzman is an ordained minister and an out lesbian who hopes to invigorate efforts to pass legislation that secures key partnership rights for LGBT people and their families.

In Atlanta, Joan Garner, an openly lesbian African-American, won her race for a seat on the Fulton County Commission. Because no other candidates qualified to be on the ballot in November, she will become the commission’s first openly LGBT member.

Congrats.

Time to call her Commissioner-elect Joan Garner

Garner collected the endorsements of three key LGBT groups – Georgia Equality, Atlanta Stonewall Democrats and the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund – on her way to victory, along with deep support from key LGBT political types. Waites dismissed those endorsements and didn’t publicly court gay voters, though she did receive a late endorsement from a co-owner of the Eagle. The Atlanta Progressive News’ Matthew Cardinale, a gay activist and journalist, also endorsed Waites.

With the win, Garner joins Alex Wan and Simone Bell in making local LGBT electoral history. Wan won a runoff last December to become the first openly gay man – and third overall openly LGBT person – to serve on the Atlanta City Council. Bell won a special election last year to become the nation’s first openly lesbian African-American state lawmaker. Bell faces no opposition this November in her campaign to win a full term in the General Assembly.

Gay Candidates Make Primary Election Gains

Openly gay and lesbian candidates backed by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund scored primary election day wins in Colorado, Connecticut and Georgia on Tuesday.

According to the Victory Fund’s blog, GayPolitics.com, winners include Kevin Lembo, who won the Democratic primary for state comptroller in Connecticut. He appears poised to win the general election, and become one of few openly LGBT candidates to win statewide office.

In Colorado, the Victory Fund reports that state senator Lucia Guzman, an ordained minister and out lesbian, won her primary and looks on track to keep the seat to which she was recently appointed. And Joan Garner, an openly lesbian African-American, won her race for a seat on the Fulton County Commission in Atlanta, where she faces no opposition in November and will become the commission’s first openly gay member.

Candidate profile: Lieutenant governor Democrat Howard touts a broad appeal

Howard, who is openly gay, said he frequently hears from voters that his being gay is not an issue, but that they won't support him because they are worried he can not get elected because he is gay.

Vermont Freedom to Marry, the organization which lobbied to get the same sex marriage bill passed during the last biennium, did not endorse anyone in the lieutenant governor's race, something which disappointed him given that he worked to convince fellow lawmakers to support the bill he cosponsored and given that voted for it to pass despite a veto, Howard said.

“It was one of the proudest moments of my career,” he said.

Thursday Howard won an endorsement from a national group, the National Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

Judge's personal life debated after gay ruling

In response, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committee for gay candidates, launched an online petition accusing Gallagher's group of "gay-baiting."

But the debate raises the question: Why is sexuality different from other personal characteristics judges posses? Can a female judge rule on abortion issues? A black judge on civil rights?

Maggie Gallagher Blasts Prop 8 Ruling, Judge

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that promotes openly gay elected officials, initiated a petition drive Thursday against Gallagher's remarks.

"Sign this petition and tell Maggie gay-baiting has no place in the national debate over LGBT equality,” the petition says.

Sexual Orientation an Open Issue for Cicilline

Cicilline’s candidacy has drawn the attention of at least two national interest groups, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and the Human Rights Campaign. Both have helped bundle campaign contributions for the mayor in recent weeks and are considering funneling more resources into the district before the primary on Sept. 14.

The HRC helped coordinate a July fundraiser for Cicilline in Philadelphia, while the Victory Fund recently helped arrange donor meetings in California.

“It’s exciting to see an openly gay candidate as the frontrunner,” HRC Political Action Committee Director Mike Mings said, noting that his organization would likely send “at least one staffer” to Rhode Island in the coming weeks to help coordinate field operations. “It’s uncommon to have someone in such a good position.”

Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe, who has already visited Cicilline in Rhode Island multiple times this cycle, acknowledged that gay candidates regularly face bias across the country.

“It’s definitely going on, but it’s obviously less in New England,” he said. “But there is the church question: How strong is the Catholic church and how strong will any church influence be?”

The organizations have endorsed Cicilline and two other openly gay Congressional candidates this cycle. But Cicilline has the best chance of becoming the fourth openly gay Member in the next Congress, following Democratic Reps. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Jared Polis (Colo.) and Barney Frank (Mass.).

Iowa Senator Matt McCoy Called 'Chief Sodomite' At NOM Rally

McCoy, who has served four terms in the state Senate,has the endorsement of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a group that supports openly gay elected officials.

"McCoy has been instrumental in promoting equality across Iowa for years,” the group said in its endorsement. “When a ban [on] marriage equality was proposed in 2005, Republicans controlled the state Senate – without Matt's eloquent advocacy, many onlookers believe the ban would have passed."

Parker to China: Gay Rights Good for Business

According to GayPolitics.com, Parker is on her first trip abroad since being elected in December, when Houston become the largest U.S. city to date to elect an openly gay mayor. The purpose of her visit to China is to encourage business links, especially new direct air carrier routes, between Houston and Shanghai.

Cicilline "continues to accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbyist, corporate PAC and insider money to fund his campaign."

Lynch also said that Cicilline received contributions from "corporate PACs." Our review showed that of the almost $35,000 Cicilline accepted from Political Action Committees this year, only about $6,000 or so came from so-called "corporate PACs," which we defined as a political committee directly associated with a corporate entity, such as a law firm. We did not include those affiliated with ideological causes such as the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which also gave to Cicilline.

Add the lobbyist and corporate PAC contributions and you get just under $50,000. That's roughly 4.3 percent of the $1.16 million he accepted this year. It's hardly the "hundreds of thousands of dollars" that Lynch talks about.

The joy of giving

“We’ve long been … supporters of the [Gay & Lesbian] Victory Fund,” Fleming said. “It’s been one of the chief tenets of the Victory Fund that it’s really terrific to have friends, but it’s even better to have folks from our own community elected.”

Although there has been criticism that the Obama administration and Congress have not moved quickly enough on pro-LGBT legislation, Fleming said this perceived lack of progress hasn’t been a factor in his advice as Bohnett’s political director.

Queery: Denis Dison

That was 20 years ago. Four years ago, the 42-year-old self-described political junkie joined the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund where he’s vice president for external affairs. He’d worked in editorial and marketing jobs before but he’s been putting his writing skills to use blogging at Fund-sponsored gaypolitics.com and is also a spokesperson for the organization.

“It can be a bit jarring moving from the non-profit world, but I saw this as a unique opportunity to contribute to the greater equality of LGBT people and I’ve always felt if you have the opportunity to work for the community you’re part of, you should take it.” Things are “incredibly busy,” he says. This year’s batch of 147 Fund-backed hopefuls includes six (three incumbents) running for congressional seats.

Garner's Fulton bid enjoys gay support

Garner has picked up a host of endorsements in the race, from gay groups Georgia Equality, Atlanta Stonewall Democrats and Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, to the Atlanta Realtors Political Action Committee and Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The Committee for a Better Atlanta even chimed in, giving Garner its “well qualified” seal of approval.

Ashburn: It's time for Republicans to fight for gay rights

In the piece published on the website gaypolitics.com, run by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund that supports gay and lesbian candidates for office, Ashburn writes, "Gay people being treated with respect and having the same opportunities for a good life regardless of sexual orientation should not be topics of political debate. How can it possibly be that there is a partisan political divide over equal rights in America?"

Ashburn had one of the Legislature's strongest records of voting against bills to expand rights for LGBT Californians, but he says he deeply regrets those votes and wrote, "I look back now knowing there is so much more I could have done to inform the public about LGBT people and to fight for equal rights under the law. Regrettably and selfishly, I took another path in my life and political career -- I chose to conceal who I truly am and to then actually vote against the best interests of people like me. All this was done because I was afraid -- terrified, really -- that somehow I would be revealed as gay."

Tossing the rainbow hat into the ring

If elected, Washington, a real estate agent, could become just the second openly lesbian African-American state legislator in the country.

"I am running for the Maryland House of Delegates because I believe the district needs more vigorous, more progressive leadership and the community needs elected officials who can inspire public trust, serve as a catalyst for positive change and work effectively to expand social and economic justice," Washington told OUTloud.

The native of Philadelphia earned a Ph.D in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University.  Washington is troubled that divisions along the lines of race, class and sexual orientation plague the district and the city—a condition she says has persisted for decades.  "I’m afraid the city just hasn’t had the kind of representation we need, the kind of leadership we need to bring our communities together."

She admits it's a challenge, but she loves challenges.  "My work has been all about bringing people from all walks of life together to solve city problems. Throughout my career, I have worked with all kinds of people – rich and poor, black and white, gay and straight – to create social change."

Washington, who also received an endorsement from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, believes her record on lgbt issues will convince people she will be a powerful advocate in Annapolis. She has argued on behalf of same-sex couples having the right to choose civil marriage.  As an elder at the First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church, she worked with church leadership to back a Friend of the Court brief supporting the Deane and Polyak lawsuit for equal marriage rights in Maryland.  And she advocated equal marriage rights as a member of the Stonewall Democrats of Central Maryland as well as other forums.

She strongly supports state judges who are willing to endorse second-parent adoptions for gay and lesbian families in Baltimore and Maryland.  "I believe we must ensure that children of gay families and gay children of straight families are treated fairly in our schools, that sex education curricula do not treat homosexuality as a medical condition or pathology and that lgbt students have the same rights to meet in our public schools as all other students do." 

Gay Fla. city councilman seeks U.S. House seat

Among the national LGBT organizations that are backing Galvin are the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and the National Stonewall Democrats. Galvin said Florida Together, a local LGBT organization, also has thrown its support behind him.

Denis Dison, spokesperson for the Victory Fund, said his organization endorsed Galvin because he met the criteria considered in the organization’s endorsements. Such criteria include having a plan necessary to raise the money to compete.

“The political team and our board both agreed that there was a path to victory for Scott,” he said.

One of the factors that Dison cited in the Victory Fund’s endorsement was the crowded Democratic primary.

“When there are nine people running for this nomination, it’s much different than if you just have one or two people competing,” Dison said.

On political homophobia, fear and being like the NRA

Yesterday, the Victory Fund's Chuck Wolfe has a post at Bilerico about political fear. He basically describes political homophobia. People inside the beltway know exactly what this is. They hear it from our supposed allies all the time:
In the last decade these numbers have moved in only one direction--toward fairness and inclusion. And yet, Congress still hasn't enacted significant protections for LGBT Americans. Why?

Fear, mostly. Fear that despite their distinct minority status, anti-LGBT extremists wield inordinate power when directly challenged. Swat that nest, the thinking goes, and the hornets will swarm. Incumbents, especially this year, aren't eager to add perceived obstacles to reelection.

LGBT activists often debate whether this fear is rational. On one side are Beltway types who see it up close every day. It's the elephant in the room at every conversation with a moderate Democratic senator from the Midwest, a gay Republican staffer for a House member, and even White House strategists.

Whether one believes it's rational or not, this fear exists, and it's part of working in LGBT politics in Washington. It must be understood, or the conversation stops.
The conversation stops because people in these DC offices don't fear us. They fear the other side. And, although candidates often want our support (mostly money), they won't take the votes necessary to give us our rights. Wolfe's solution is: "Our job as advocates is to come together to find a solution, address the fear and create the conditions to win."

We do need to create the conditions to win. And, we're not going to get there by playing nice. For one thing, our advocates need to call out "political homophobia" when they see it. And, we need to make politicians fear us, not our opponents.

Wolfe: Who's afraid of equality?

What's keeping Congress from enacting broadly popular LGBT equality legislation? The Victory Fund's president and CEO, Chuck Wolfe, weighs in.

Message heard: "The gAyTM is closed." So what now?

The Victory Fund is dedicated supporting LGBT and allied candidates. The Progressive Majority is also a pro-equality progressive political fund you can trust with your money. You should also consider supporting Progressives who have fought for us (even if they happen to be Democratic). Candidates in my region include Jim McDermott and Suzan DelBenne.

Not all politics are national, local politics can have a lasting effect as well. Look around you and find the diamonds in the rough. Believe it or not, we do have friends.

Palm Springs (GO)Party?

One of those was Rep. Mary Bono-Mack (R-Calif.), who was married to the late singer-turned-politician Sonny Bono. Bono-Mack has represented Palm Springs since winning this special election for his seat in Congress in 1998 and received HRC's endorsement as recently as 2006. In this fall's election, however, HRC is backing challenger and out gay Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet (D), who also is backed by the Victory Fund in his race.

GLBT Event Moved Due to Immigration Furor

The Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute, who had been considering holding its 2011 conference in Phoenix, has chosen Las Vegas instead.

Up until recently, Phoenix was considered the frontrunner to host the December 2011 conference.

The Phoenix Host Committee, led by Councilman Tom Simplot and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, had been working furtively to secure the conference. The conference would have attracted hundreds of gay and lesbian elected leaders.

GLLI alluded that the immigration debate in Arizona caused them to chose another site, according to the Phoenix Host Committee.

GLLI said in a letter, "The current political and legal climate in Arizona makes it complicated to accept your hospitality."

GLLI helps equip gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people with the tools for success. The institute assists hundreds of individuals who go on to influential careers in politics, government, business and advocacy each year.

Gay GOP Group GOProud Backs Rep. Mary Bono Mack

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has endorsed the campaign of Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, an openly gay politician raising two children – Beckman and Julia – with his husband Christopher Green, a pharmaceutical sales representative. The couple married in 2008 during the brief June-to-November window when gay marriage was legal in California.

While the Victory Fund is nonpartisan, its endorsement card tilts heavily Democrat.

LaSalvia quickly denounced Pougnet's ties to “the gay left,” saying they “would have you believe that Mary Bono-Mack is somehow an enemy of the gay and lesbian community.”

“Nothing could be further from the truth. The decision of organizations like the Human Rights Campaign to oppose Mary's re-election is a shameful reminder of just how slavishly the gay left is willing to [go to] do the bidding of Nancy Pelosi and the DCCC,” he said. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation's largest gay rights advocate.

The forty-seven-year-old Pougnet has labeled Bono Mack anti-gay for her recent vote against repeal of the law that bans gay troops from serving openly.

“In a perfect world, people like Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack would treat all Americans the same,” Pougnet said after the House voted to repeal the law. “They wouldn't vote against gays and lesbians just to gain favor with extremists on the right.”

“I know we don't live in that perfect world yet, but I was still shocked to learn that Bono Mack voted against the amendment to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,'” he added.

Denis Dison, a vice president with the Victory Fund, also disagreed with LaSalvia's characterization of Bono Mack as a gay ally.

“She had the chance to stand up for gays and lesbians serving in uniform, and she didn't take it,” Dison said in an email to On Top Magazine.

Kaplan enters Oakland mayor's race

"I don't want to run just to run," Kaplan said. "This is about running to win the seat that is the head of the executive branch in our city."

Kaplan has secured the endorsement of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. She has also been endorsed by Oakland businessman Geoffrey Pete, vice chair of Oakland's Black Caucus, Joyce Gordon of the Joyce Gordon Gallery, and the Reverend Dr. Harold Mayberry of First AME Church of Oakland.

Online Extra: Political Notes: Congress likely to see new LGBT members in 2011

It is more than likely that the current three-person LGBT congressional delegation will have a few more members come 2011 as a dozen out candidates are seeking congressional seats this year.

In a positive sign for the viability of several candidates' campaigns, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund has endorsed six of the House candidates. The national group only backs those LGBT candidates deemed to have credible chances of winning their races, and the endorsement allows them to tap into the group's nationwide donor network.

In addition to the three Democratic incumbents seeking re-election to the House this year – Barney Frank (Massachusetts), Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin), and Jared Polis (Colorado) – the Victory Fund also endorsed three gay men looking to join them on Capitol Hill.

In California, Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet won the group's backing in his race for the state's 45th Congressional District. Pougnet ran unopposed in the June Democratic primary and will take on incumbent GOP Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack this fall.

Providence Mayor David Cicilline picked up the group's endorsement in his four-way race to be the Democratic nominee for Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District. Next week state Democratic Party leaders will open their convention to select who the party's favored candidate will be in the September 14 primary.

Cicilline's biggest opponent in the race to succeed Representative Patrick Kennedy appears to be Bill Lynch class="vitstorybody">, a former state Democratic Party chairman in Rhode Island. But Cicilline had outpaced Lynch in fundraising according to the latest disclosures in April, and he is considered a heavy favorite to not only best his primary opponents but also to keep the House seat in Democratic hands.

The third gay candidate winning Victory Fund support is Scott Galvin, a North Miami Beach city councilman who is running in a crowded Democratic primary set for August 24 to represent Florida's 17th Congressional District. With nine people in the race, it is anyone's guess who will come out on top.

But in a twist, Galvin's being a white, gay man may give him an advantage. He is running against several African American candidates in a district with a heavy concentration of black voters, and pundits have speculated they could split their vote enough to allow Galvin to eke out a victory.

The district is considered a safe one for Democrats, so whoever wins the party primary is expected to easily capture the seat in November.

There are five other House races with out candidates this year, but none have gained the Victory Fund's support as of yet.

What Is The Best National Political LGBT Organization In The Country?

The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund in Washington, DC is simply one of the best LGBT political organizations in the country. The Fund is operated, top to bottom, with excellence, good management, effective use of funds and creating long term impact in the struggle for full equality. The change it has created by electing openly LGBT candidates to public office is simply immeasurable.

The purpose of the organization is to get early resources to the campaigns of viable LGBT candidates for public office. Then to continue with that support through election. They offer candidates expertise on how to deal with LGBT issues in campaigns but also had to run effective campaigns. They have raised millions for openly LGBT candidates in their 12 years of existence.

A huge number of people have been responsible for its prominent place in the community. The Victory Fund's present CEO Chuck Wolfe deserves enormous praise for taking it to the next level and its current success.

The victories of the organization run from names like Congressman Barney Frank, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin and Congressman Jarad Polis to big city mayors like Mayor Annise Parker of Houston, Mayor Sam Adam of Portland and Mayor David Cicilline of Providence. In the last dozen years the number of LGBT elected officials has risen from 49 to over 500 openly LGBT elected officials! This year alone they have endorsed a record breaking 123 candidates running for office including 6 running for the United States Congress! They have elected people in hardcore conservative states. They not only endorse for Congress but also for such agencies as the Metro Water Reclamation Board in Illinois.

In addition, the Victory Fund runs the best candidate and campaign training programs in existence. Recently they took over the international organization for LGBT elected officials. This year's conference for international LGBT elected officials will be held in Washington, DC this December.

Hope you will free some of those valuable resources you all have and support the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. It's worth it.

Senate Confirms Gay Museum Board Nominee John Coppola

The Presidential Appointments Project, a community driven effort coordinated by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, was responsible for bringing the three appointees to the attention of administration officials.

“John is one of a growing number of LGBT appointees to federal boards and commissions,” Denis Dison, a vice president at the Victory Fund, told On Top Magazine in an email. “The Presidential Appointments Project is seeking more LGBT applicants who, like John, are willing to serve on these important panels and help shape federal policy.”

Mike Huckabee 'Ick Factor' Comments Slammed By Gay Rights Groups

Denis Dison, Vice President of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, also responded to the comments, writing in an email to Politico: "The man keeps putting his foot in his mouth...Talk about 'ick factor.' One can only guess Gov. Huckabee has discovered he gets more press hits every time he says something stupid about gay people."

Huckabee has exhibited a penchant for making inflammatory statements concerning gay rights. In an April interview with the College of New Jersey's student publication, the Perspective, the former Governor compared gay adoption to experimentation and reminded reporters that "Children are not puppies."

Obama Expands Federal Benefits, Hires Over 100 Gay and Lesbian Staffers

This high number is driven by the Presidential Appointments Project, part of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, aimed at placing qualified LGBT people in jobs within the administration. The PAP offers an application form that interested LGBT people can fill out, and then they present those people as candidates to fill vacant slots. Their website lists the full roster of gay folks they’ve sent to the White House and beyond.

Now, it’s never wise to just assume that a high number means progress, but I’m convinced this is a really great thing. Of course I’d like the number to be higher. But I’d also like to see a day when we don’t even have to count, where it’s not an issue in the first place.

Gay groups hit Huckabee

That history, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Vice President Denis Dison wrote in an e-mail, is what gay groups find so objectionable.

“The man keeps putting his foot in his mouth,” said Dixon. “Talk about 'ick factor.' One can only guess Gov. Huckabee has discovered he gets more press hits every time he says something stupid about gay people.”

Obama administration has hired over 100 gay staffers

The Presidential Appointments Project, a community driven effort coordinated by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, suggested the hiring of many of the over 100 openly gay appointees serving in the administration.

“This has always been the point of the project – to make sure LGBT voices and their perspectives are heard at the highest levels of the U.S. government,” said George Walker, a vice president at the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute.

Long Beach councilman Robert Garcia named to "40-Under-40" list by The Advocate: First District leader selected for national honor.

Garcia is one of approximately 485 openly gay elected officials in the country at all levels of government, from local to federal, said Denis Dison, communications vice president with the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committee that endorses nonpartisan candidates.

When the group formed in 1991, 49 openly LGBT elected officials were in office.

President Barack Obama has made more LGBT appointments than any commander-in-chief

The Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute published a list of Obama administration appointees.

The institute trains LGBT candidates on how to run an effective campaign and is related to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which helps raise money for endorsed candidates.

Some of the better-known names include Margarethe Cammermeyer, who is a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. Cammermeyer is the highest-ranking woman to be dismissed from the military.

Obama Appoints Record Number Of Gay, Trans Staffers

The Presidential Appointments Project, a community driven effort coordinated by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, was responsible for bringing many of the appointees to the attention of administration officials.

“This has always been the point of the project – to make sure LGBT voices and their perspectives are heard at the highest levels of the U.S. government,” George Walker, a vice president at the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute, said.

Cambridge Mayor comes out during Pride Brunch

"Good for Mayor Maher. No matter where they serve, it’s still a brave and good thing for elected officials who are gay to talk about that openly and honestly. Having out officials in leadership roles does a lot to dispel fears about LGBT people. It demonstrates we’re as committed and dedicated to our communities as everyone else," said Denis Dison, Vice President of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. "Cambridge now has its third openly gay mayor in a row, and the Massachusetts GOP’s candidate for lieutenant governor is openly gay, which are extraordinary developments. That said, out elected officials are still rare in America, and many states have still never elected an openly gay state legislator, including large states like Florida and Pennsylvania."

http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=106949

Cambridge, Mass. Mayor Comes Out

Maher, 51, has been with his partner for more than 30 years, the Chronicle reports. He took office in February.

As the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund reports, Maher follows former mayors Ken Reeves, who was the first African-American openly gay man to serve as a mayor in the United States, and E. Denise Simmons, who became the country’s first out lesbian African-American mayor.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/06/15/Cambridge_Mass_Mayor_Comes_Out/

SGN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The Victory Fund's Robin Brand

SGN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The Victory Fund's Robin Brand 
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

Robin Brand, deputy executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, will be in Seattle for a June 14 event with local LGBT political leaders and supporters.

The Victory Fund describes itself as an organization that 'identifies, trains, and elects LGBT leaders to all levels of office, in every corner of America.'

It claims a 68% win rate for its endorsed candidates.

Brand is no stranger to Washington, having been executive director of the state's Democratic Party in the mid-'90s.

She spoke exclusively with SGN about the Victory Fund's strategy and how that will pay out in Washington state.

"We've endorsed over 100 candidates this year," she told SGN, "the most ever. We've endorsed three in Washington - Marko Liias, Jamie Pedersen, and Laurie Jinkins. She will be the first openly Lesbian member of the legislature. It's very exciting!"

Liias is running for reelection as a State Representative in the 21st District, as Pedersen is in the 43rd. Jinkins is running for an open House seat in Tacoma's 27th District.

"Washington state has a great history with LGBT electeds!" Brand said. "I remember Cal Anderson. And Ed Murray - he's kind of the patriarch of LGBT electeds."

"It will be interesting running under the new primary laws - the top two go to the general [election]," she added. "It will be a different dynamic than in the past."

Brand then outlined other races she believed were especially important.

"We have two great congressional candidates," she said. "David Cicilline, the mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, and Steve Pougnet, the mayor of Palm Springs. That's a swing district where we think we have a good chance to pick up the seat."

"[Pougnet's opponent, Mary Bono Mack ] voted against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal," Brand added.

Republican incumbent Mack, onetime wife of the late Sonny Bono and his successor in Congress, voted the Republican party line 89% of the time and earned an 84% approval rating from the Christian Coalition.

"There's also an important primary in Ohio," Brand told SGN. "Nickie Antonio will be the first openly Gay member of the Ohio legislature."

Antonio won her Democratic primary on June 8. No Republicans have filed for the seat, and an independent candidate withdrew from the race, meaning Antonio is certain to win the seat in November.

"We have a number of what we call 'building our influence states' - Washington, Colorado, and Maryland for example," Brand continued. "This also coincides with the next tier of states looking to expand relationship recognition."

"We've noticed that where you have five or more LGBT members in the legislature, that's where they've passed significant relationship recognition laws," she explained. "Colorado and Maryland are right at that threshold level."

Asked if she was advocating a state-by-state approach to marriage equality, Brand replied, "The Victory Fund itself doesn't advocate for policy issues, but we do see the value in working in states where you have two, three, four, five members [of the legislature]."

Brand is optimistic about electing LGBT candidates, and says she is not worried about the Tea Party, or what some have begun to call the "new right."

"It's clear there's frustration among all voters with economic issues, deficits, cuts in services - that's never good for incumbents. But I'm not convinced it's going to be anti-Democratic or anti-progressive," she said. "There's anger towards the direction the country is going, but I don't think it's partisan."

"We're continually electing LGBT candidates. We have really competitive races in Montana, Colorado, and Oklahoma - it's only going in one direction," Brand concluded.

Brand added that the Victory Fund also tries to build working alliances with other constituencies that might have compatible political goals.

"Labor, for example. In California, we've worked very well with the California Nurses Association. Washington is ahead of the curve a little bit on this issue," she told SGN.

"We're always looking for candidates who represent many constituencies. We support many candidates of color - a high percentage - our commitment to diversity is very strong," she added.

Asked what candidates could expect to get from a Victory Fund endorsement, Brand listed several benefits the Victory Fund offers.

"Our goal is to have openly Gay office holders in every state. There are still 18 or 19 without one in the state legislature. So one thing we do is to recruit candidates.

"We also train candidates. It's really very hard work. Our Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute has worked with hundreds of potential candidates. Sometimes after going through the training, someone will decide that being a candidate is not for them&

"We offer financial support. We offer technical support. Our team divvies up the candidates and we go and meet with them, and we ask them, 'How is the campaign doing? How many doors have you knocked on? How much money have you raised?'"

Brand told SGN that LGBT victories in any part of the country benefit the community even in places where LGBT voters are not very visible or well organized.

"There's no doubt that our successes in states like Washington and Vermont are moving the needle across the country. It impacts where we are nationally," she said

"How do we get more influential? Openly Gay candidates - that's an important first step for voters in supporting Gay rights. The voter might say, 'Well, I think he or she will do a good job, and that's more important than being Gay.'"

"That's especially important in the more conservative states," Brand added.

Brand herself is closely identified with the Democratic Party, having led the Washington state party - "Through its darkest years!" she chuckles. "I came in in 1995."

Almost all the candidates endorsed by The Victory Fund run as Democrats. Asked if they had written off the Republican Party, Brand replied it had not.

"We have endorsed Republican candidates - a couple of them, anyway - and we're looking to expand the number," she said.

"There's an openly Gay Republican running for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts," she added, noting "There's a very different dynamic in a Republican primary."

Brand will be the special guest at a June 14 event at Marjorie's, 1412 E. Union Street, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The $50 ticket goes to support the Victory Fund's Leadership Institute.

Hosts of the event include Seattle City Councilmembers Sally Clark and Tom Rasmussen, Tacoma City Councilmember Ryan Mello, Port Commissioner Rob Holland, State Sen. Joe McDermott, State Rep. Marko Liias, Anne Levinson, Tina Podlodowski, Michael Mattmiller and Jay Petterson, Kevin Thompson and Greg Ratliff, and Brady Walkinshaw.

http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews38_24/page1.cfm

Outing Politicians: Does It Ultimately Help or Hurt Us

Denis Dison, spokesman for the Victory Fund, which supports the efforts of openly LGBT politicians running for public office, agreed: "Having somebody who is secretly gay in public office doesn’t really help [the community], but the process of dragging that person out of the closet can have a negative effect if it reinforces the idea that being LGBT is extremely negative to the point somebody would want to lie about it," Dison told EDGE.

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc3=&id=106870&pg=1