Four Stories You Should Know About
1. HUGE May Primary Victories!
Phenomenal news from Texas: Spotlight candidate Jolanda Jones WON her special election, officially becoming the first out LGBTQ Black person elected to the Texas state House. This election determined who will fill the remainder of the term for the recently retired state representative. In the race to fill the seat for the next legislative session, Jolanda is back on the ballot for the May 24th runoff – even as her opponent calls for an audit of the ballots.
And all three Victory Fund-endorsed candidates for the Nebraska state legislature advanced in their primaries! James Michael Bowers, John Fredrickson and incumbent state Senator Megan Hunt will appear on the November ballot.
2. Coming Up Next: More May Primaries!
Mark your calendar for May 17th: LGBTQ candidates will be on the ballot in Idaho, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania! You can help Victory Fund elect these amazing candidates here.
Jasmine Beach-Ferrara will be on the ballot and working to flip North Carolina’s 11th Congressional district. After she clinches the primary, she may face the scandal king himself: U.S. Congressman Madison Cawthorn. While Cawthorn can't stop generating bad headlines, Jasmine has been crisscrossing the state, connecting with voters, and emphasizing her policy chops. The difference couldn’t be clearer – and Jasmine will be the first out LGBTQ person to be elected to any federal position in North Carolina history!
In Oregon, Tina Kotek is running neck-and-neck with her main opponent in the Governor’s race – and proving she’s the candidate with the policy solutions to win this primary. When she wins in November, she would be among the first out lesbian governors of any state.
Tuesday will also be a decisive day for Game Changer candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner. Jamie, who’s running against an incumbent Democrat, is working to bring new ideas to the table and advocate for community interests. Watch her latest campaign ad here! When elected, Jamie will be the first out LGBTQ member of Congress.
Oregon is also on the verge of electing the first out trans man to a state legislature in the U.S.! Zeloszelos Marchandt is running for Portland’s newly drawn district. LGBTQ Victory Fund secured this profile with The Advocate for Zeloszelos – read the full conversation here!
Election Day is finally here for Spotlight candidate LaWana Slack-Mayfield, who’s running for the Charlotte, NC City Council. Check out her policy platform here! Senior Director of Political Programs Marty Rouse and Political Manager Michelle Atwood joined LaWana on the campaign trail:
And in Pennsylvania, six Victory Fund-endorsed candidates will be on the ballot! Malcolm Kenyatta made his case for the U.S. Senate on MSNBC, Brian Sims launched a campaign ad laying out his plans for the Lt. Governor’s office while our candidate for the U.S. Congress, Sean Meloy, announce a huge endorsement from Planned Parenthood! Senior Director of Political Programs Marty Rouse also campaigned with Spotlight candidate Izzy Smith-Wade-El. Izzy will be the first out non-binary person elected to the Pennsylvania legislature!
Deputy Political Director Cesar Toledo was also on the campaign trail this week! He campaigned with incumbent Georgia state Representative Park Cannon, who was the first out queer-identified person elected to a state legislature in the U.S. She is a fierce advocate for voting rights, reproductive healthcare and so much more. Park is running for reelection and will be on the ballot May 24th.
3. Robert Garcia receives the Los Angeles Times Endorsement
The LA Times editorial board announced their endorsement of Game Changer candidate Robert Garcia in his race for the U.S. Congress!
Mayor Garcia, who announced his campaign after the incumbent retired, made national headlines for his plans to alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Long Beach, CA. As the LA Times points out, Mayor Garcia will continue bringing this pragmatic approach to policy when he’s elected to the U.S. Congress.
4. Danica Roem Announces Campaign for the Virginia State Senate
On Monday, Virginia state House Delegate Danica Roem announced her decision to run for Virginia state Senate in 2023! Watch her campaign announcement here.
When Danica won her election for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2017, she became the first out trans person ever to win and serve in a state legislature. She remains the longest serving out trans legislator in history. If elected, Danica will be the first out trans person to ever be elected to the Virginia state Senate and only the second out trans person to be elected to a state senate anywhere in the U.S. We’re with you all the way, Danica!
