Press Release

Victory endorses largest slate of LGBT candidates ever

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Washington DC – August 24, 2006 - The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, the nation’s largest gay and lesbian political action committee, announced today its endorsement of 13 more candidates, bringing the total number of endorsed candidates in 2006 to 77, the group’s largest-ever slate.

“More and more qualified LGBT candidates are stepping up to serve their communities, and we are proud to help them add their voices to the American political debate,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.  The newly-endorsed candidates include two, Mary Washington and Anthony McCarthy, who would become the first openly LGBT African-American legislators in Maryland.  The newly endorsed candidates are:

• Paula Aboud (D), Arizona State Senate, Dist. 28
• Benjamin Cruz (D), Lt. Governor, Guam
• Bevan Dufty (D), San Francisco, Calif. Board of Supervisors, Dist. 8
• Charles Eader (D), Bedminster, NJ Township Committee
• Alexis Gorriaran (D), Rhode Island State Senate, Dist. 5
• Ken Keechl (D), Broward County Commission, Dist. 4
• Anthony McCarthy (D), Maryland House of Delegates, Dist. 44
• Maggie McIntosh (D), Maryland House of Delegates, Dist. 43
• Doug Milliken (D), Arapahoe County, Colo. Treasurer
• Ed Murray (D), Wash. State Senate, District 43
• Rudy Serra (NP), Detroit, MI, District 36 Judge
• Devin Slayton (R), Arizona House of Representatives, Dist. 11
• Mary Washington (D), Maryland House of Delegates, Dist. 43

A complete list of endorsed candidates is available online at www.victoryfund.org.
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund provides strategic, technical and financial support to openly LGBT candidates and officials. It’s the only national organization solely committed to increasing the number of openly LGBT public officials at federal, state and local levels of government.  Victory is the nation’s largest LGBT political action committee and one of the nation’s largest non-connected PACs.  In 15 years, Victory has helped the number of openly LGBT officials grow from 49 to more than 300.  For more information, visit www.victoryfund.org. 

# # #