John,
Yesterday, LGBTQ Victory Fund celebrated our 2022 National Champagne Brunch – and I wanted to share part of my speech with you. But first, a generous donor has pledged to match up to $25,000 for every gift within the next 24 hours. Make a generous gift NOW to have your impact doubled.
Now, I could tell you things this year are hopeless. The endless assaults on LGBTQ lives – particularly when they are made against trans kids – can take a toll. There is gloom in the air about the 2022 election cycle – people are bracing for the worst.
And I get it.
But I am here to tell you… that gloom is what our opponents are counting on. They want us to be hopeless. To disengage.
I say, we refuse to fall into this trap. We unite around our candidates for 2022. We recognize them. Get excited for them. Invest in them. And in November, I say we shatter the expectations of the pundits and our opponents and deliver fierce LGBTQ voices to every level of government.
Are you with me? I know you are, John. Pitch in today – all donations will be matched, up to $25,000. That’s $50,000 for our candidates and candidate programs!
At Victory Fund, we see endless opportunities for LGBTQ candidates to impact the 2022 elections and thwart opponents of our equality.
So far, 13 of our 19 endorsed LGBTQ Congressional candidates are running in those Congressional districts -- many of them against homophobic and transphobic opponents. It is no exaggeration to say the success of LGBTQ candidates can determine the fate of the U.S. House come November.
LGBTQ leaders are also positioned to win key governorships. And at ground zero – our state legislatures – we can defeat opponents of equality with LGBTQ candidates. We’ve endorsed 107 state legislative candidates with more on the way – all of them running on pro-trans platforms.
These are the opportunities – the candidates – our opponents want us to overlook. We already have more than 230 reasons to have hope for 2022 – each one with a story and lived experience that make them better candidates, and soon, elected officials.
But I’ll be honest. The dramatic growth in candidates, the equally dramatic growth in anti-LGBTQ attacks on these candidates, stretched our staff thin. As always, our ability to grow and provide these candidate services is dependent on you.
Please consider an additional contribution to support this work. And remember – your gift will be matched.
Thank you. We - and our candidates - appreciate you.
Now, let’s go shatter expectations,
Mayor Annise Parker
Pronouns: she|her|hers
President & CEO, LGBTQ Victory Fund
