LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About

Even the Wins are Bigger in Texas

On Saturday, May 3rd, LGBTQ+ Victory had several candidates in tough areas win their Texas races in a landslide! Omar Roman, running for Carrollton-Farmers Branch City Council, District 1; Ileana Garza Rojas, running for Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Board of Trustees At-Large; Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, running for the San Antonio City Council, District 2; Chad West, running for the Dallas City Council, District 1; Elias Dias, running for the Eagle Pass City Council At-Large; and Manny Rodriguez, running for Socorro Independent School District Board of Trustees, District 5 all won their primaries while Jonathan Estrada, running for Pasadena City Council, District E won the general election!

Our Spotlight candidate, Spotlight candidate Gina Ortiz-Jones placed first in her bid for Mayor of San Antonio and will head to a runoff. Two other candidates, Salvador Serrano, an incumbent, and Roy De los Santos are also headed to runoffs for their respective races. Texas runoff elections take place Saturday, June 7.

More Wins in Ohio and Nebraska!

LGBTQ+ candidates in Ohio and Nebraska are making strides toward greater representation in regions with limited LGBTQ+ visibility. In Ohio, Fran Wilson advanced to the general election on the Akron City Council and Jesse Vogel moved forward in the race for Columbus City Council District 7! Both candidates are passionate advocates for affordable housing, public safety reform, and inclusive governance.

In Nebraska, incumbents Sändra Washington and Tom Beckius were reelected to the Lincoln City Council At-Large seats! Washington has championed public safety and affordable housing, while Beckius has focused on efficient use of tax dollars and community-driven policies.

These victories highlight the growing impact of LGBTQ+ leaders in local politics, inspiring more LGBTQ+ individuals to follow their lead!

Next up on the ballot: Michael Angeloni, running for Hyattsville City Council in Maryland and Morgan Robinson, running for the Collingswood Borough Commission in New Jersey!

Clarisa Alayeto Remains on the Ballot!

Clarisa Alayeto, a Victory Fund-endorsed candidate running for New York City Council in District 8, just secured a major win in her fight to stay on the ballot. After being removed by the NYC Board of Elections over minor clerical errors, like a misspelled name and incorrect address, Clarisa successfully appealed and will appear on the Democratic primary ballot next month!

This victory is especially significant as she faces powerful opposition from a big-money special interest group tied to a Wall Street mogul backing one of her opponents. A proud first-time candidate, Clarisa is standing strong for East Harlem, Mott Haven, and Randall’s Island, and for a more inclusive, people-powered politics.

Supreme Court Targets Trans Troops

The Supreme Court has allowed President Trump’s ban on transgender military service members to take effect, enabling policies that threaten the ability of thousands of trans troops to continue serving. While this decision marks a serious setback for equality and inclusion in our armed forces, LGBTQ+ leaders across the country are speaking out and pushing back. Victory Fund remains committed to electing LGBTQ+ officials who will defend our community and work to reverse discriminatory policies like this one.