Press Release
Sam Adams elected mayor of Portland, Oregon
Tue, May 20th 2008, 23:59FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308, denis.dison@victoryfund.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMAY 21, 2008
Contact: Denis Dison, 202-842-7308
Portland, Oregon voters elect openly gay mayor
Kate Brown wins Democratic primary for Oregon Secretary of State
Washington,
D.C.--Portland, Oregon City Commissioner Sam Adams will become the
first openly gay mayor ever elected to lead one of the 30 largest U.S.
cities, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which endorsed
Adams and helped to fund his campaign. Adams won more than 50 percent
of the vote in today's primary, giving him an outright victory over
multiple opponents.
Victory-endorsed Oregon Secretary of State
candidate Kate Brown advanced to a November general election, easily
winning her Democratic primary. Brown, who is currently the Democratic
leader in the Oregon Senate, would become the nation's highest ranking
openly bisexual elected official if she wins her November general
election. She is heavily favored against her Republican opponent, who
has never held elective office.
"In Oregon, fairness has won the day. These
victories mean that people who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender can also be seen as capable, committed leaders whose sexual
orientation or gender identity is less important than what they plan to
do for their communities. That's a step toward full equality that we
want to replicate across America," said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO
of the Victory Fund.
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