Record number of LGBT candidates elected to office

Record number of LGBT candidates elected to office

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced that more openly LGBT
candidates won election to public office in the U.S. in 2010 than in
any year in America's history.

At least 106 of the group's record-breaking 164 endorsed candidates
were winners as of Wednesday morning, including Providence, R.I.,
Mayor David Cicilline (pictured), who will become the fourth openly
gay Member of Congress when the House convenes in January.

Victory Fund President and CEO Chuck Wolfe issued the following
statement about the group's success:

"There is no sugar-coating the loss of so many of our straight allies
in Congress, but we can be proud that our community continues to
expand its voice at all levels of government in America. Out public
officials are having a sizable impact on the local, state and national
debates about LGBT equality. Increasing their numbers is a vital part
of a long-term strategy to change America's politics and make our
country freer and fairer for everyone. We will continue to focus on
training committed, qualified candidates, and we will work hard to get
them elected to public office."

Important 2010 election results include:

–David Cicilline's election to Congress. The Providence, R.I. mayor
will be the fourth openly gay member of the U.S. House of
Representatives, joining Reps. Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank and Jared
Polis, who each won reelection.

–Jim Gray's election as mayor of Lexington, Kentucky, the state's
second-largest city.

–Nickie Antonio's election to the Ohio House. Antonio will be the
first openly LGBT person to serve in the state legislature.

–Marcus Brandon's election to the North Carolina House. Brandon will
be the state's only openly gay state legislator and one of just five
out African Americans to serve as state lawmakers.

–Victoria Kolakowski's election as a Superior Court judge in Alameda
County. Kolakowski becomes the first openly transgender judge in
America.

–Kevin Lembo's election as Connecticut State Comptroller. Lembo joins
just a handful of openly LGBT candidates to have been elected to
statewide positions.

–Laurie Jinkins' election to the Washington State House. Jinkins is
Washington's first openly lesbian state legislator, and could help her
gay colleagues pass a marriage equality bill in the next legislative
session.

–Maryland's and California's expanded LGBT state legislative caucuses.
Each will include seven openly gay and lesbian lawmakers. In
Maryland, the caucus is poised to help pass marriage equality
legislation, which the reelected Gov. Martin O'Malley has vowed to
sign.

–Dan Hill's loss in his Nevada House race. The Victory Fund's
endorsed Republican candidates for state legislative seats were not
successful, meaning no openly LGBT Republicans will be serving as
state lawmakers next year.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization
dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at
all levels of government in the U.S. It has grown that number from 49
to more than 500 since its founding in 1991. A full 2010 Election
Scorecard will soon be available at www.victoryfund.org.

More:
http://www.gaypolitics.com/2010/11/03/record-number-of-lgbt-candidates-elected-to-office/

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Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

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