Five Stories You Should Know About
1. 30 Days Away: Spotlight candidates Venton Jones & Keturah Herron Making History in TX and KY
Three LGBTQ candidates have the chance to make history in their states in the next 30 days!
Spotlight candidate Keturah Herron (@KeturahHerron) is running to be the first out LGBTQ person ever elected to the Kentucky state House. Her special election will take place on February 22, and early voting is about to begin.
Keturah is a former ACLU political strategist who worked to pass Breonna’s Law in Louisville following the killing of Breonna Taylor. This statute bans no knock warrants and works toward expungement of non-violent offenses from criminal records.
Keturah is ready to bring their invaluable voice to the Kentucky Legislature in order to advocate for voter rights, violence prevention, increasing the minimum wage, criminal justice reform and education issues.
Spotlight candidate Venton Jones (@ventonjones) is running for the Texas state House and will be first out LGBTQ Black man elected to the Texas legislature. Venton is ready to bring his experience as a public health expert to the Texas house and serve as an advocate for LGBTQ people in a state that has rolled back protections for transgender youth and attempted to erase LGBTQ voices in the classroom.
Victory Fund candidate Jolanda Jones is also preparing for her March 1st primary. When Jolanda wins, she'll be one step closer to making history as the first out LGBTQ Black woman elected to the Texas House! Jolanda just announced a series of key endorsements from Pipe Fitters Local Union, Plumbers Local Union, Seafarers International Union and Area 5 Democrats. Check out her campaign video here!
2. Sean Meloy’s Opponent Purposefully Skipped Pro-Equality Vote
Sean Meloy’s (@MeloySM) latest opponent purposely skipped a vote protecting the rights of LGBTQ people. Sean is running to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Congress and would be the first out LGBTQ person elected from the state!
Jeremy Shaffer, who just jumped into the race, is a former member of the Ross Township Board of Commissioners. In 2018, a proposal was introduced to create an Equal Opportunity Board and extend civil-rights protections to people based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The measure passed 5-2 through the body, but Shaffer purposely skipped the vote.
Shaffer now believes his political cowardice is enough to win him a seat in Congress. By abandoning his responsibilities as an elected official, Shaffer made it clear he will try to keep his hands clean in limiting the rights of LGBTQ people.
3. LGBTQ Candidates Push Back Against ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bills
In the latest attack of LGBTQ erasure in schools, Florida bigots introduced legislation that would force teachers to avoid discussing LGBTQ issues or topics. The bill states teachers "may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”
President Biden responded to reports that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis may be considering signing this harmful legislation if it makes it through the Florida House and Senate.
Game Changer candidate Michele Rayner-Goolsby (@micheleforfl), running to be the first out LGBTQ person elected to the U.S. Congress from Florida, tweeted: “to my LGBTQ+ community watching, you are loved as you are. I will keep fighting and using my platform to advance equality.”
4. UPDATE: LGBTQ Candidates Running in Key U.S. House Districts
Can LGBTQ candidates flip key districts and keep a pro-equality majority in the U.S. House? Check out our new blog post, which provides a deep dive into current swing districts, candidates who can flip their seats, how redistricting may affect their races, and more. Read all about it here!
Winning these eight races in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Hampshire, Kansas and beyond will be essential for ensuring the U.S. House remains a pro-equality body.
5. Alex Ruggiers in Runoff for Local Oklahoma School Board
Alex Ruggiers (@alexfornps) will head to a runoff in his race for the Norman, OK school board! Alex will make history as the first out LGBTQ school board member in Norman!
Alex came just 100 votes short of victory, earning over 45% of the vote. The incumbent candidate earned only 32% of the vote. The runoff date is set for April 5th.
Alex worked as a language arts teacher at Norman High School and Longfellow Middle School before becoming a curriculum developer at the University of Oklahoma’s Center for Public Management.
LGBTQ voices are needed now more than ever on school boards. Pro-LGBTQ and anti-racist books being banned, mask requirements, and debates about school curriculum are now being heard by school boards across the nation. It is critical that Alex is successful to ensure LGBTQ representation and perspective in this these decisions.
