Victory Fund announces 29 endorsements for 2008

Fri, Dec 21st 2007, 08:21

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Victory Fund announces 29 endorsements for 2008

December 21, 2007

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

 

Washington, DC—The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced it has endorsed a slate of 29 candidates seeking office in 2008.  The group plans to endorse more than 100 candidates, a new record, before Election Day next year.

 

The newly-endorsed candidates include:

 

• Kate Brown, President of the Oregon State Senate, who is running to become Oregon’s secretary of state;
• Jim Roth, who is running statewide to keep his seat on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, to which he was appointed this year.
• Lupe Valdez, who faces a tough re-election race for sheriff of Dallas County, Texas;
• and  Kevin Lee, a current Landsdowne Borough Councilmember, who is seeking a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and who would become the commonwealth’s first openly gay legislator.

 

In 2007, the Victory Fund endorsed 71 candidates and 43 won their elections. 

 

“We are heartened not only by the increasing number of out individuals seeking to represent their communities, but by the public’s willingness to elect them,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund. “Many of our endorsees are either seeking re-election or aspiring to higher office – a sure sign that members of our community are credible leaders and concerned citizens.  When they win, we all do, because they help change the face of American politics.”

The 29 newly-endorsed candidates are: 

·         Tom Ammiano—State Assembly, California

·         John Arrowood—Judge, Court of Appeals, North Carolina

·         Tammy Baldwin—United States House of Representatives, Wisconsin

·         Kevin Beckner—Commissioner, Hillsborough County, Florida

·         Julia Boseman—State Senate, North Carolina

·         Kate Brown—Secretary of State, Oregon

·         Christopher Cabaldon—State Assembly, California

·         Michael Colona—State Representative, Missouri

·         Thomas Duane—State Senate, New York

·         Mark Ferrandino—State Representative, Colorado

·         Barney Frank—United States House of Representatives, Massachusetts

·         Laurette Healey—State Assembly, California

·         Maddy Hirshfield—Supervisor, Sonoma County, California

·         Christine Johnson—State Representative, Utah

·         Christine Kehoe—State Senate, California

·         Micah Kellner—State Assembly, New York

·         Steve Kirkland—Judge, 215th District Court, Texas

·         Kevin Lee—State Representative, Pennsylvania

·         L. Garnet Lewis—State Representative, Michigan

·         Glen Maxey—Tax Assessor Collector, Travis County, Texas

·         Al McAffrey—State Legislature, Oklahoma

·         Deborah Mell—State Representative, Illinois

·         Greg Pettis—State Assembly, California

·         Jared Polis—United States House of Representatives, Colorado

·         Jim Roth—Oklahoma Corporation Commission

·         Victoria Sigler—Circuit Court Judge, Florida

·         Kyrsten Sinema—State Representative, Arizona

·         Lupe Valdez—Sheriff, Dallas County, Texas

·         Kathy Webb—State Representative, Arkansas

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization dedicated to increasing the number of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender elected officials at all levels of government.  The nation’s largest LGBT political action committee, the Victory Fund has helped grow the number of out officials from 49 to more than 390 since its founding in 1991.

For more information, go to www.victoryfund.org.

 

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