LGBTQ Stories You Should Know About
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway Won Her Primary!
LGBTQ Victory Fund candidate Satya Rhodes-Conway easily won the primary election for Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin after securing 60% of the vote. On April 4, she will face runner-up Gloria Reyes who received just 28% of the vote. It’ll be the first time in Madison history that two women will face off for the mayor’s office in the general election.
Juliana Bennett, Derek Field and Michael Verveer, all running for the Madison Common Council, also advanced in their primaries with strong margins! We’re confident these fantastic LGBTQ candidates will prevail in the April general elections.
LGBTQ Victory Fund Endorses 28 More Candidates
LGBTQ Victory Fund unveiled our next slate of endorsements on Wednesday. LGBTQ Victory Fund has now endorsed 84 candidates running in the 2023 cycle! “In 2023, we have the opportunity to make meaningful inroads across the country, from Alaska to Mississippi. We cannot afford to take a break when bigots are wasting no time in doubling down in their efforts to silence and erase our community.”
Catch up quick: newly endorsed candidate Fabian Nelson, running for the Mississippi House of Representatives, would be the first out LGBTQ person ever elected to the Mississippi state legislature! Mississippi and Louisiana are the only U.S. states to have never elected an out LGBTQ person to the state legislature, and we’re ready to shatter these last rainbow ceilings.
Leslie Herod Unveils Her Platform
This week, Victory Fund Spotlight candidate Leslie Herod sat down with Denver7 to dig into her policy platform. From increasing housing affordability to ensuring city government reflects the diversity of the Denver community, Leslie has strong plans for the future. “We are facing a crossroads again in this city. And if we don't have folks who are willing to put results over politics in these positions, we won't pass our toughest hurdles. And I know we can do that.” Check out the full interview here.
Lori Lightfoot Calls Out Dog Whistle Attacks
Victory Fund candidate Lori Lightfoot, running for reelection as Mayor of Chicago, called out her opponent Paul Vallas’ dog whistle attacks earlier in the week. Vallas continues to claim that he wants to “take back the city,” which Lightfoot quickly pointed out is the “the ultimate dog whistle.” “Take our city back meaning what? To what time? And take our city back from whom?”
ICYMI: Last night, Victory Fund joined Equality Illinois and LPAC in calling out Paul Vallas’ pinkwashing of his anti-LGBTQ track record. “Paul Vallas may try to talk the talk, but when it comes to supporting the LGBTQ community, he does not walk the walk.”
Jonathan Dromgoole Launches Campaign
Last weekend, Victory Fund Political Manager Michelle Atwood spoke at the official launch of Victory Fund candidate Jonathan Dromgoole’s campaign for Arlington County Board. If elected, Jonathan would be the first out LGBTQ immigrant ever elected in Virginia state history and the first out LGBTQ Latino ever elected to the Arlington County Board.