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.

In Knox County, TN, Spotlight candidate Matthew Park is getting ready for his August 1st election – the winner here will be the next Knox County Commissioner. Check out Matthew’s latest ad – or learn more about his campaign today!

In the state legislature, incumbent State Representative Lorena Austin 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.

Incumbent State Senator Analise Ortiz and State Representative Oscar De Los Santos both faced ethics complaints recently in the Arizona state house. Their crime? Protesting in the state’s ludicrous abortion ban that was later repealed.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.

Judge Deborah Ann Begay, running for reelection as Moon Valley Justice of the Peace, is hyper-focused on her upcoming primary. She laid out her campaign and platform in a recent conversation with The Navajo Times!

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., who is no longer in the position due to the January 6th insurrection and threats against his life, was no friend to the LGBTQ+ community.

But Vance, who fully embraced the MAGA brand and denied the 2020 election results, has been described as an “anti-LGBTQ nightmare”. His anti-LGBTQ and anti-choice stances include pledging to vote against marriage equality, once stated that exceptions for rape and incest shouldn’t be included in abortion bans because “two wrongs don’t make a right”, 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.”

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. U.S. Senator Ron Johnson kicked off the convention by calling LGBTQ+ issues a “fringe agenda” that involves "the sexualization and indoctrination” of children, while Marjorie Taylor Green leaned into anti-trans rhetoric, as she typically does.

While there are already clear signs that the Trump-Vance ticket is energizing and empowering the worst factions of their party, 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.

While polling shows Tammy has a lead and solid fundraising, this is set to be an extremely close race. And with Hovde already calling election results into question – in alignment with Trump, Vance and the authors of Project 2025 – we can reasonably another election cycle filled with election denial and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric.

Only 108 days until Election Day.

QUICK HITS: The News in a Moment

Last week we celebrated Non-Binary Awareness Week! 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 or learn more about their campaigns here!

In a troubling development, West Virginia and Idaho have filed appeals with the Supreme Court to enforce laws banning trans athletes from playing sports. The Court has already agreed to here arguments on a trans healthcare ban.

Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker recently spoke with Yes! Magazine about the historic levels of anti-LGBTQ legislation and the need for increased representation. Read the full piece here!

Meanwhile, Vice President of Political Programs Sean Meloy and Mayor Parker both joined Talk It OUT to give an update on our biggest 2024 races, the state of equality and more. Listen in here!

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!

LGBTQ+ representation is rising in Michigan: meet 10 LGBTQ+ candidates on the ballot now!