Get Ready To Run
It takes courage and determination to run for office and even more to run as an openly LGBT candidate. In your pursuit of public office, you must run smarter campaigns, raise more money and fight harder for viability and support than your opponents. At the Victory Fund, we understand these challenges, and we set the bar high, both for our candidates and for our organization.
A political campaign is a complex undertaking, which requires discipline, talent and expertise. A successful campaign is achieved by applying skills and knowledge, not luck. We look forward to helping provide you with the tools necessary to be successful.
There are a number of things we provide to candidates and potential candidates:
- Initial assessments of viability and campaign organization
- Sophisticated, intensive candidate and campaign training
- Financial support from both our PAC and our diverse network of LGBT donors
- One-on-one strategic and technical support for planning, fundraising, message development, voter contact and earned and paid media.
- Vetted and highly qualified campaign consultants and staff
You Are Not Alone
Many before you have paved the way for your upcoming journey into public life. When the Victory Fund was established in 1991, there were 49 openly LGBT elected or appointed officials. Today, there are more than 500. Roughly 22% of all Americans are represented by an openly LGBT elected official.
Key statistics about Victory Fund endorsed candidates in 2006
- Total Victory-endorsed winners running for the first time: 88 (55 non-incumbent; 33 incumbent)
- Total Victory-endorsed winners: 67
- Total Victory-endorsed winners running as openly LGBT for the first time: 37
- Percent of Victory Fund bundled money spent on non-incumbent candidates: 80%
- Percent of Victory Fund PAC money spent on non-incumbent candidates: 91%
- States that elected their first-ever openly LGBT officials: Alabama, Arkansas, and Indiana
- States that elected their first-ever openly LGBT state legislators: Alabama, Arkansas and Oklahoma
- 7 states still have no openly LGBT elected officials at any level of government: Alaska, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia
Click here for a list of openly LGBT officials across the country.
“It made a huge difference for me. It made it possible for me to keep a fundraising edge against my opponents, which gave me credibility as a candidate at a time when people were skeptical that an out lesbian could win.”
-Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
"The Victory Fund connected us with people all over the country that contributed to this campaign. We had more individual givers than anyone else. Everybody else had a lot of PAC donations. But most of our donations were individuals. And a lot of them were 5, 10 dollar contributions from people all over the country but it adds up. And we couldn’t have done it without the Victory Fund. I always talked about their contribution to my campaign. When women started to run for office there was Emily’s list. When African-Americans decided to run for office there were other PACs that helped. This is no different. You have to have that kind of help to get over the hurdle. It’s expensive to run campaigns – I don’t like it, but, you know, you gotta spend money to win. We would not have been able – I can honestly say – more than 50% of the money we would not have been able to raise without the Victory Fund. And having that national endorsement, you know, gave us national recognition all over the country, which was helpful.”
-Alabama State Representative Patricia Todd
To begin your journey:
- Take a Step Back: There are a number of things you must consider before deciding to run for office. Click here for more information.
- Apply for Victory Fund endorsement: Click here for information about the endorsement process.
- Get Smart: Attend one of the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute’s Candidate and Campaign Trainings. Click here for more information, and a schedule of upcoming trainings.
