LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About

Big Wins: California, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Arizona!

Some highlights: Jesus Rivera overcame homophobic attacks on the campaign trail and defeated his conservative opponent to win a seat on the Cambridge, WI School Board. DJ Nichols will be the only out LGBTQ+ person on the Oshkosh City Council. And Casey Clowes will be the first out LGBTQ+ member of the Salt River Project District Board in Arizona – the nation’s largest public power utility.

Unfortunately, we came up short (just 15 votes!) in Matthew Lehner's race for the Eau Claire County Board, but he has already vowed to run again! We are also sad to report that Angus Abercrombie lost his election for Belmont School Board in Massachusetts.

In California, we FINALLY have certified election results from Congressional District 16. Evan Low has TIED for second place, an unprecedented result! We know Evan has what it takes to pull off a big win in November.

Malcolm Kenyatta Gaining Momentum!

New this week: Former PA Auditor General and U.S. Senator Bob Casey endorsed Malcolm Kenyatta’s campaign! Watch the full endorsement video here. Malcolm also spoke with 90.5, Pittsburgh’s NPR affiliate, laying out his plan for the office and what improvements he’d make. Read the full interview here.

Primary Day in Pennsylvania is April 23rd. Meet all the Victory Fund endorsed candidates on the ballot here!

Abortion Rights are on the Ballot

Great news from Arizona and Florida: activists in both states have collected enough signatures to add abortion rights to the ballots. The news comes just as the Florida Supreme Court handed down a ruling upholding the state’s draconian 15-week abortion ban.

Read more on which states will host abortion ballot measures – and which states are still in process.

Signs indicate these ballot measures will drive voter turnout – not only a good sign for the measures themselves, but any pro-choice LGBTQ+ candidates running in the state (hey, we know some! Learn more about them here).

Celebrating The First: Kathy Kozachenko

Every year on April 2nd, our sister organization LGBTQ+ Victory Institute celebrates the original historic first: Kathy Kozachenko. In 1974, Kathy ran as an out lesbian for a seat on the Ann Arbor City Council - and WON, officially becoming the first out LGBTQ+ person to win public office in the U.S. Read more about Kathy's historic victory in her own words here.

LGBTQ+ Women on the Campaign Trail

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Loyola Marymount University released a new report brief on the experiences of LGBTQ+ women candidates on the campaign trail. You can also read an exclusive report in LGBTQ Nation.

This exciting survey asked LGBTQ+ candidates to describe their motivations for running, the challenges they faced and how their identities affected their campaigns. You can read the full report brief -- The Experiences of LGBTQ+ Women Candidates here.

QUICK HITS: The News in a Moment

Donald Trump has officially endorsed U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s opponent, millionaire Eric Hovde, while calling Tammy a “very weak candidate.”

Will Rollins has released his new quarter one fundraising numbers: In the first three months of 2024, his campaign raised over $1.8 million and now have over $3 million on-hand. It's the single biggest raise ever in one quarter against Ken Calvert!

A big endorsement for Joe Vogel: the National Education Association and teachers’ unions are supporting his campaign for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District!

“Everyone has the right to feel safe and wanted. We are at our best when we celebrate the diversity of humanity.” – California State Senate candidate Lisa Middleton, on protecting trans rights.

Minnesota state Representative Leigh Finke, now running for reelection, celebrated International Transgender Day of Visibility – and noted how much work is still to be done. Read the full piece here!

Kyra deGruy Kennedy, our candidate for Colorado State House 44, has a message for her “Trump-loving” opponent: she’s ready to win.