Patricia Todd wins!

Sat, Aug 26th 2006, 11:15

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308, denis.dison@victoryfund.org

WASHINGTON--August 26--Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, issued the following statement today in response to a vote by the executive committee of the Alabama Democratic Party to dismiss a challenge to the primary election victory of Patricia Todd, the first openly gay person ever to be elected in the state:

"Finally, the voters have prevailed.  We are enormously proud of the courage and tenacity Patricia showed throughout this ordeal, and equally proud of her supporters in Alabama and beyond who stood by her unfailingly.  The Victory Fund and its network of donors have worked to ensure Patricia had a level playing field and a fair chance to show that a qualified, committed public servant can win the trust of the voters regardless of her sexual orientation.  We have no doubt her career in the legislature will reflect the same determination and skill she showed in her campaign."

The committee today voted to overturn a decision issued Thursday night by a five-person panel picked to hear evidence in an official challenge to Todd's primary win.  That decision was roundly criticized  by top state party officials and in newspaper editorials.  The Birmingham News editorialized today that the state Democratic Party seemed to have a "death wish," calling the effort to strip Todd of her nomination, "the dumbest thing Alabama Democrats have done since 1986."  That year the party nullified the primary win of its gubernatorial nominee and installed another candidate.  It subsequently lost the governor's mansion to the Republicans for the first time since Reconstruction.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the nation's largest LGBT political action committee, and the only national organization dedicated to increasing the number of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender elected and appointed officials at all levels of government.  Since its founding in 1991, the Victory Fund has helped to grow the number of openly LGBT elected officials from 49 to more than 320.  For more information go to www.victoryfund.org.

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