The Agenda: The Nefarious Plot to hold public office [[link removed]][link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
Four Stories You Should Know About
1. New Endorsements Alert! 31 More Out LGBTQ Leaders Endorsed in March
This was an exciting week for Victory Fund! We rolled out our March slate of endorsements [[link removed]] , including two Spotlight candidates running to make LGBTQ and Black history [[link removed]] in the Texas state legislature: Jolanda Jones and Christian Manuel Hayes . With 31 new endorsements this month, the total number of Victory Fund-endorsed candidates this cycle is now up to 237 [[link removed]] .
Jolanda will be the first out LGBTQ Black woman [[link removed]] ever elected to the Texas state legislature. She received the most votes in the March primary and will be heading to a runoff with a substantial lead! [[link removed]]
Christian also advanced to a runoff after a close primary [[link removed]] . He is running to represent the 22nd District in the Texas state House and would join our Spotlight candidate Venton Jones in being the first two out Black representatives elected to the chamber. Christian served as the chief of staff of the outgoing representative for this district [[link removed]] , ensuring he is familiar with the needs of constituents in and around Houston.
2. Janelle Perez Does NOT Have Time for It
And by “it,” we mean Ron Desantis and bigots in the Florida state legislature.
Florida has been ground zero for anti-LGTBQ attacks [[link removed]] like the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and other anti-LGBTQ legislation now spreading around the country [[link removed]] .
Janelle Perez -- a mother [[link removed]] , stage IV cancer survivor, Victory Fund endorsed candidate and healthcare business professional -- is fired up and ready to bring her voice to the Florida state Senate, which would make her the first out LGBTQ woman elected to the body.
In a recent interview with LGBTQ Nation , Janelle talked about her motivation to run. [[link removed]] “Our state legislature is chiseling away… at freedom, and they’re chiseling away at opportunity. It’s about time we have candidates that run for the right reasons, that we have candidates who do it because they want to put their community first.” Hear, hear!
Janelle announced her run for the 38th district in September. [[link removed]] Since then, the incumbent Senator (who voted in favor of the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill [[link removed]] and was forced to apologize) filed to run in another Senate district.
3. Malcolm Kenyatta Could Shape Politics in PA for Years to Come
With Pennsylvania’s primary just weeks away [[link removed]] , many are looking to the state’s U.S. Senate race as a litmus test for national politics. Malcolm Kenyatta launched a historic run to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate, which would make him the first out LGBTQ Black person ever elected to the chamber [[link removed]] .
A new opinion piece in Philadelphia Magazine [[link removed]] argues that Pennsylvania has often chosen underdog candidates like Malcolm. It also says his potential to fill the representation gap for LGBTQ and Black Pennsylvanians [[link removed]] makes it important he remains in the race. After all, “Why should the young, queer Black guy step down to guarantee a straight white man will win?”
Hear Malcolm make his case for the nomination in a speech given on Sunday at a candidate forum [[link removed]] .
4. Bigots Making Bank By Going After Trans Kids
A new report [[link removed]] shows that anti-LGBTQ groups who are pushing culture war issues like Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill and who are responsible for the uptick in anti-equality legislation in states [[link removed]] collected more than $110 million during the 2020 fiscal year [[link removed]] .
This historic fundraising total means these bigots’ war chest grew by over 25% over the last four years.
And what are they doing with this war chest? Coming for trans kids [[link removed]] , LGBTQ healthcare and anti-abortion laws [[link removed]] . And trying to defeat LGBTQ candidates.
These groups, which all subscribe to some belief that LGBTQ people are a threat to ‘American’ culture, have embarked on a crusade-like mission to erase our community [[link removed]] . Groups including the Family Research Council, the Alliance Defending Freedom, Liberty Counsel and the misleadingly named American College of Pediatricians [[link removed]] have experienced nearly a doubling of their budgets over the course of a decade.
You can help us fight back by donating below [[link removed]] .
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Paid for by LGBTQ Victory Fund. Your contribution may be used in connection with federal, state and local elections and be subject to federal, state and local laws. Contributions to LGBTQ Victory Fund are not tax deductible. Victory Fund members do not have governance participation rights.
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. Senators Tammy Baldwin, Governors Jared Polis and Kate Brown and all nine LGBTQ members of U.S. Congress. We've boosted out candidates running for state and local government, including California Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, Florida Senator Shevrin Jones, Virginia Delegate Danica Roem, Colorado state Representative Leslie Herod, Pennsylvania state Representative Brian Sims, Hawaii state Representative Adrian Tam, Oklahoma Representative Mauree Turner, and so many more ( meet all of our current candidates here [[link removed]] )! We’ve shattered rainbow ceilings in all 50 states and broken election year records. You can power our work and the next Rainbow Wave with a donation today [[link removed]] !
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