Press Release
Victory Fund announces a dozen new endorsements
Tue, Apr 21st 2009, 15:06FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308, denis.dison@victoryfund.org
Washington, D.C.—The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced it has endorsed 12 more openly gay and lesbian candidates for public office, bringing its total number of 2009 endorsements to 32. The new endorsees are:- Nickie Antonio, Lakewood, OH City Council
- Howard Bayless, Birmingham, AL City Council
- Reed Gusciora, New Jersey General Assembly
- Hugh McGough, Allegheny Court of Common Pleas, Pittsburgh, PA
- Meyer Persow, Cape Henlopen School Board, Rehoboth Beach, DE
- Denise Simmons, Cambridge, MA City Council
- Tom Simplot, Phoenix, AZ City Council
- Paul Smedberg, Alexandria, VA City Council
- Karin Uhlich, Tuscon, AZ City Council
- Maverick Welsh, Houston, TX City Council
- Ken Zalewski, Troy, NY City Council
- Bob Zuckerman, New York City Council
The new endorsements, largely in municipal races, demonstrate that odd-numbered years are not “off” years for the Victory Fund, according to Chuck Wolfe, the group’s president and CEO. “In non-federal years there are still important local and state races that offer a chance to elect openly LGBT candidates who can have a tremendous impact on their communities. Local government is extremely important because it touches our lives every day. The LGBT community must have a voice in local government decisions because they affect our families too,” Wolfe said.
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization dedicated to growing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at all levels of government. Today, 427 out officials are serving in elective office across the United States, up from just 49 when the Victory Fund was founded in 1991. To learn more, visit www.victoryfund.org.
