Victory Fund Endorses 19 More LGBTQ Candidates for 2018; Congressional Candidates Key to Electing Pro-Equality Congress

Candidates Katie Hill and Rick Neal receive Game Changer endorsements

Washington, DC February 21, 2018 – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed 19 candidates from across the nation in positions from school board to the U.S. Congress. Candidates Rick Neal of Ohio and Katie Hill of California received Game Changer endorsements and are running for seats considered crucial to winning a pro-equality majority in the U.S. Congress this year. Rick would be the first openly LGBTQ person elected to Congress from the state of Ohio, and Katie would become the youngest person serving in Congress if elected.

Mark Leno – the first openly gay man elected to the California State Senate – was endorsed in his race for mayor of San Francisco, and City Commissioner Dean Trantalis in his mayoral race in Fort Lauderdale. Either would become the first openly LGBTQ mayors of these historically LGBTQ cities.

"Our candidates can transform the political landscape in 2018 – bringing a pro-equality majority to the U.S. Congress, electing a tidal wave of LGBTQ candidates across Texas, and finally securing LGBTQ leadership in the historically LGBTQ cities of San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale," said Victory Fund President & CEO Annise Parker. "These 19 newly endorsed candidates join 45 others who are running for office to push forward equality and better the lives of all of their constituents. We have an unprecedented opportunity to dramatically increase LGBTQ representation in local governments, state legislatures and the U.S. Congress, and Victory Fund is committed to ensuring it is fully realized."

Fourteen additional candidates in state and local races received endorsements – having demonstrated to Victory Fund both their viability and their commitment to pushing for LGBTQ equality once in office.

The complete list of today's endorsements is below:

Game Changer Endorsement

Katie Hill, U.S. House of Representatives, CA-25
Rick Neal, U.S. House of Representatives, OH-15

Endorsed Candidates

Ryan Dillon, Missouri State Senate, District 16
Pete Fosselman, Montgomery (MD) County Council, District 1
Mark Leno, Mayor of San Francisco
Shannon McClendon, Texas State Senate, District 25
Dave Myers, San Diego Sheriff
Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General
Lamont Robinson, Illinois House of Representatives, District 5
Joy Silver, California State Senate, District 28
Dean Trantalis, Mayor of Fort Lauderdale (FL)
Mary Washington, Maryland State Senate, District 43

Endorsed Incumbent Candidates

Kevin Beiser, San Diego Unified School Board President
Justin Chenette, Maine State Senate, District 31
Luke Clippinger, Maryland House of Delegates, District 46
Julian Cyr, Massachusetts State Senate, Cape & Islands District
Byron Macfarlane, Howard County (MD) Register of Wills
Karin Power, Oregon House of Representatives, District 41
Susan Steeg, Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3 Travis County (TX)

This is the fourth round of endorsements by Victory Fund for the 2018 election cycle. All 64 openly LGBTQ endorsed candidates can be seen at victoryfund.org/ourcandidates.

Since 1991, Victory Fund has helped thousands of openly LGBTQ candidates win local, state and federal elections.

LGBTQ Victory Fund

LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America's politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.

victoryfund.org