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LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About
Upcoming Elections: Arizonians and Tennesseans Prepare to Vote!
July has been a quiet month for LGBTQ+ elections, but the wait is now over! Victory Fund endorsed candidates will be on the ballot in Arizona and Tennessee next Tuesday. Meet all the candidates running here [[link removed]] .
In Knox County, TN, Spotlight candidate Matthew Park is getting ready for his August 1st election [[link removed]] – the winner here will be the next Knox County Commissioner [[link removed]] . Check out Matthew’s latest ad [[link removed]] – or learn more about his campaign today [[link removed]] !
In the state legislature, incumbent State Representative Lorena Austin [[link removed]] has gained a reputation for reaching across the aisle. They spoke with the AZ Mirror about their time in office (so far!) – and how they get the work done [[link removed]] .
Incumbent State Senator Analise Ortiz and State Representative Oscar De Los Santos both faced ethics complaints recently in the Arizona state house [[link removed]] . Their crime? Protesting in the state’s ludicrous abortion [[link removed]] ban that was later repealed. Even more reason to reelect them, we think!
Meanwhile, incumbent state Representative Patty Contreras joined Abortion Access for All Arizonans to deliver over 800,000 signatures to place the right to choose on the ballot [[link removed]] .
Judge Deborah Ann Begay , running for reelection as Moon Valley Justice of the Peace [[link removed]] , is hyper-focused on her upcoming primary. She laid out her campaign and platform in a recent conversation with The Navajo Times [[link removed]] !
Anti-LGBTQ Rhetoric Takes Center Stage at the RNC
Alarm bells rang at the Republican National Convention with the nomination of Senator J.D. Vance to the Vice Presidency. Trump’s first V.P. [[link removed]] , who is no longer in the position due to the January 6th insurrection and threats against his life [[link removed]] , was no friend to the LGBTQ+ community.
But Vance, who fully embraced the MAGA brand [[link removed]] and denied the 2020 election results [[link removed]] , has been described as an “anti-LGBTQ nightmare” [[link removed]] . His anti-LGBTQ and anti-choice stances include pledging to vote against marriage equality [[link removed]] , once stated that exceptions for rape and incest shouldn’t be included in abortion bans because “two wrongs don’t make a right” [[link removed]] , and when asked about the heated increase in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, stated “Look, if you don’t want to be called a ‘groomer,’ don’t try to sexualize six- and seven-year-old children.” [[link removed]]
Several other speakers at the Republican National Convention also had their anti-LGBTQ and anti-choice talking points on hand during the recent convention, spouting hateful speech that villainizes our community [[link removed]] . U.S. Senator Ron Johnson kicked off the convention by calling LGBTQ+ issues a “fringe agenda” that involves "the sexualization and indoctrination” of children [[link removed]] , while Marjorie Taylor Green leaned into anti-trans rhetoric, as she typically does [[link removed]] .
While there are already clear signs that the Trump-Vance ticket is energizing and empowering the worst factions of their party [[link removed]] , there are also indications this rhetoric will once again impact LGBTQ+ candidates down ticket. Eric Hovde – Tammy Baldwin’s opponent for the U.S. Senate, used his speech to attack Baldwin's record and background [[link removed]] .
While polling shows Tammy has a lead [[link removed]] and solid fundraising [[link removed]] , this is set to be an extremely close race. And with Hovde already calling election results into question [[link removed]] – in alignment with Trump, Vance and the authors of Project 2025 [[link removed]] – we can reasonably another election cycle filled with election denial and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.
Only 108 days until Election Day.
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QUICK HITS: The News in a Moment
Last week we celebrated Non-Binary Awareness Week [[link removed]] ! It’s great to shine a light on all the wonderful out non-binary candidates working hard on the campaign trail. Read about many of our endorsed non-binary candidates in The Advocate here [[link removed]] or learn more about their campaigns here [[link removed]] !
In a troubling development, West Virginia and Idaho have filed appeals with the Supreme Court to enforce laws banning trans athletes from playing sports [[link removed]] . The Court has already agreed to here arguments on a trans healthcare ban [[link removed]] .
Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker recently spoke with Yes! Magazine [[link removed]] about the historic levels of anti-LGBTQ legislation and the need for increased representation [[link removed]] . Read the full piece here [[link removed]] !
Meanwhile, Vice President of Political Programs Sean Meloy and Mayor Parker both joined Talk It OUT [[link removed]] to give an update on our biggest 2024 races, the state of equality and more [[link removed]] . Listen in here [[link removed]] !
Victory Fund candidate Will Rollins posted another huge fundraising in the race to flip California Congressional District 41: he raised over $2.2 million dollars [[link removed]] !
LGBTQ+ representation is rising in Michigan: meet 10 LGBTQ+ candidates on the ballot now [[link removed]] !
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LGBTQ+ Victory Fund is the political arm of the LGBTQ+ community. Since our founding in 1991, we’ve supported and elected LGBTQ+ candidates like U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Governors Maura Healey, Tina Kotek and Jared Polis and thousands of LGBTQ+ candidates around the country. We’re proud to be the only national organization endorsing pro-equality and pro-choice LGBTQ+ candidates in the United States. We’ve shattered rainbow ceilings in all 50 states and broken election records. Meet our latest endorsements here! [[link removed]] We’ve shattered rainbow ceilings in all 50 states and broken election records. You can power our work and the next Rainbow Wave with a donation today! [[link removed]]
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