Six Stories You Should Know About

1. Momentum Accelerating for Malcolm Kenyatta

Game Changer candidate Malcolm Kenyatta launched his first ad in his bid for U.S. Senate! In it, he talks about why his perspective as a Black out LGBTQ working-class legislator is more important than ever to deliver results for Pennsylvanians.

Malcolm also took the debate stage along with both his primary challengers (a change of pace from past debates – some folks weren’t bothered to show!). Malcolm discussed his policy plans, his vision for the state and our country, and held John Fetterman accountable for pulling a shotgun on an unarmed Black man in 2013. Watch the full clip here!

2. Deja Alvarez Could Become the First Out Trans Latina State Legislator in History

Victory Fund secured a recent interview for Spotlight candidate Deja Alvarez in The Hill. Deja is a fixture in Philadelphia’s LGBTQ public health space and is running for the Pennsylvania state House.

When Deja walks through the doors of Pennsylvania’s 275-foot-tall state capitol in January, it will be the first time in U.S. history that an out transgender Latinx woman has entered as a state lawmaker. Read the full interview here!

3. Outgoing New York Congressman Calls Don’t Say Gay Bill ‘Reasonable’

U.S. Congressman Tom Suozzi stirred up controversy last week after calling Florida's horrific Don’t Say Gay bill “reasonable.” As our Victory Campaign Board member Matthew Albert pointed out in his op-ed in the New York Daily News, these statements were a letdown from a supposed ally of the movement.

Game Changer candidate Robert Zimmerman, who is running to fill the Congressional seat vacated by Suozzi as he runs for New York Governor, responded as well, calling the bill “morally reprehensible and the worst kind of bigotry toward LGBTQ+ youth.”

4. Fighting Back: Alabama’s Anti-Trans Bills

There has been a historic rise in anti-LGBTQ legislation being introduced and passed in states that target vulnerable communities. In Alabama, Neil Rafferty – the only out LGBTQ elected official in the state – fought tooth and nail against two anti-trans bills that were pushed through on the very last day of the legislative session. Read about Neil’s work and Victory Fund President & CEO Mayor Annise Parker’s take on the best way to stop these bills.

5. In the Wake of Anti-LGBTQ Attacks, More LGBTQ People Are Running

While bigots are focused on passing harmful legislation, more LGBTQ people are stepping up to run for office. So far, over 1,000 out LGBTQ people are running for office in 2022. In another positive highlight, many noted they were motivated to run because of the slew of anti-LGBTQ attacks lodged against our community over the last several years.

The Washington Post spoke with Victory Fund-endorsed candidates Justice Horn and Joe Vogel about life on the campaign trail as young LGBTQ candidates. Joe, who will be one of the youngest people sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates when he wins his race, cited several reasons for running, stating "This is a moment that called and said, ‘Get in the arena.’" Justice also noted he's running to "send a signal to other young people, queer people, that local government is for you. The more we throw at the system, the more we’re going to win.” Read the full article here!

A new article by KUNR highlighted the record number of LGBTQ candidates running in the West in states like Nevada, Montana and Idaho. One of the LGBTQ candidates running -- despite anti-equality legislators' best efforts to silence him – is Victory Fund-endorsed candidate Jacob Torgerson, who is running for the Montana state House. He noted that bills passed in the state that protect religious freedom at the expense of LGBTQ people motivated him to run for office.

6. Out on the Trail

Brian Sims, candidate for Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor, announced this week that he has officially raised over a million dollars!  He’s received donations from all 67 counties in Pennsylvania and all 50 U.S. states, underscoring the resonance of his message and campaign for folks across the country. Brian also showed a commanding lead in a straw poll earlier this month.

Tina Kotek is leading the pack in her bid to be Oregon’s next governor! A new poll shows Tina has a 5-point lead over her primary opponents! It’s been an exciting week for the Kotek campaign – in addition to this news, she secured two exciting endorsements: U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and the gun safety organization Giffords. Want to learn more about Tina and what she’s fighting for? Check out this Q&A to hear her plans, from tackling climate change, to addressing homelessness, to improving public education.

Zooey Zephyr receives key endorsement! The Missoulian, a leading publication in Montana, recently endorsed Zooey who is running for Montana state House. In the Letter to the Editor, the Missoulian notes that Zooey’s activism on access to health care and affordable housing, as well as her lived experience as a bisexual transwoman, will position her to be an effective legislator. Learn more about Zooey in this profile in LGBTQ Nation.

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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)! 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!

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