An unprecedented number of LGBTQ people will run for office in 2020

Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, endorsed 39 openly LGBTQ candidates for 2019 and 2020 races – including three incumbent members of Congress. More openly LGBTQ candidates will run for office in 2020 than in any previous election year, surpassing the more than 700 candidates who ran in the “Rainbow Wave” of 2018. Victory Fund has endorsed 66 LGBTQ candidates for 2020 so far.

Among the many opportunities for 2020 is increasing LGBTQ representation in state legislatures throughout the country. Victory Fund endorsed six candidates for the Florida state legislature today, including state Representative Shevrin Jones, who is running to become the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the Florida state Senate. Representation in the state legislature would double from three members to six if the endorsed candidates are victorious in 2020.

Victory Fund also endorsed two non-incumbent candidates for the Texas House of Representatives: Ann Johnson and Eric Holguin. Along with Texas state House candidate Eliz Markowitz – who Victory Fund endorsed in a special election and is now headed to a runoff in January – representation in the Texas state legislature would increase from five to nine members if all are successful. Last month Victory Fund endorsed Shawn Terry, a non-incumbent also running for the Texas state House.

View today’s media releases about the Texas state legislative candidates or the Florida state legislative candidates.

“An unprecedented number of LGBTQ people will run for office in 2020 – potentially making the Rainbow Wave of 2018 look more like a ripple,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “In 2020, we will endorse more candidates than at any time in our 28-year history, with opportunities to dramatically increase LGBTQ representation in state legislatures and elect a historic number of LGBTQ people to Congress. We have out LGBTQ candidates running in parts of the country where none have run before, transforming perceptions of LGBTQ people in these communities. This coming year we will build LGBTQ political power like never before – and these 39 newly endorsed candidates are the backbone are the ones who will make it happen.”

The complete list of candidate endorsements announced today is below:

2019 Runoff Candidate Endorsements:

Kurtis Purtee

Savannah (GA) City Council, District 6

Runoff: 12/3/19

Evangeline Beechler

Caldwell City (ID) Council, Seat 6

Runoff: 12/3/19

2020 General Candidate Endorsements:

Justin Bramhall

Kentucky House of Representatives, District 79

Primary: 5/12/20 General: 11/3/2

Peter Burgelis

Milwaukee (WI) Common Council, District 11

Primary: 2/18/20 General: 4/7/20

Gabriela De Jesus

Florida House of Representatives, District 116

Primary: 8/18/20 General: 11/3/20

Laurie Eiserloh

Travis County (TX) Attorney

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Javier Estevez

Florida House of Representatives, District 105

Primary: 8/18/20 General: 11/3/20

Eric Holguin

Texas House of Representatives, District 32

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Ann Johnson

Texas House of Representatives, District 134

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Shevrin Jones

Florida State Senate, District 35

Primary: 8/18/20 General: 11/3/20

Ricky Junquera

Florida House of Representatives, District 118

Primary: 8/18/20 General: 11/3/20

Terra Lawson-Remer

San Diego County Board of Supervisors, District 3

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Ken Meija-Beal

Illinois House of Representatives, District 42

Primary: 3/17/20 General: 11/3/20

Levander “Van” Smith, Jr.

Circuit Court Judge of Cook County (IL), At-Large

Primary 3/17/20 General: 11/3/20

Marque Snow

Nebraska Legislature, District 9

Primary: 5/12/20 General: 11/3/20

Phillip Westry

Baltimore City Council, District 12

Primary: 4/28/20 General: 11/3/20

2020 Incumbent Candidate Endorsements:

Jasmine Beach-Ferrara

Buncombe County (NC) Commission, District 1

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Lisa Bunker

New Hampshire House of Representatives, Rockingham District 18

Primary: 9/8/20 General: 11/3/20

Cesar Chavez

Arizona House of Representatives, District 29

Primary: 8/4/20 General: 11/3/20

Daniel Corona

Mayor of West Wendover (NV)

General: 11/3/20

Angie Craig

US House of Representatives, MN-2

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Sharice Davids

US House of Representatives, KS-3

Primary: 8/4/20 General: 11/3/20

Ryan Fecteau

Maine House of Representatives, District 11

Primary: 6/9/20 General: 11/3/20

Steven Glassman

Fort Lauderdale (FL) Commissioner, District 2

General: 11/3/20

Carlos Guillermo Smith

Florida House of Representatives, District 49

Primary: 8/18/20 General: 11/3/20

Brad Hoylman

New York State Senate, District 27

Primary: 6/23/20 General: 11/3/20

Celia Israel

Texas House of Representatives, District 50

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Steven Kirkland

Judge, 334th District Court (TX)

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Rebecca Kislak

Rhode Island House of Representatives, District 4

Primary: 9/15/20 General: 11/3/20

Evan Low

California State Assembly, District 28

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Chris Pappas

US House of Representatives, NH-1

Primary: 2/11/20 General: 11/3/20

Devon Reese

Reno City (NV) Council, At-Large

Primary: 6/9/20 General: 11/3/20

Benjamin Reynolds

Johnson City Village (NY) Board

General: 11/3/20

Susan Ruiz

Kansas House of Representatives, District 23

Primary: 8/4/20 General: 11/3/20

Jennifer Smith

Criminal Court Division IV, 20th Judicial District (TN)

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 8/6/20

Brianna Titone

Colorado House of Representatives, District 27

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/5/20

Jennifer Webb

Florida House of Representatives, District 69

Primary: 8/18/20 General: 11/3/20

Scott Wiener

California State Senate, District 11

Primary: 3/3/20 General: 11/3/20

Les Zendle

Desert (CA) Healthcare District Director

General: 11/3/20

More information about the candidates is available at victoryfund.org/ourcandidates. Since 1991, Victory Fund has helped thousands of openly LGBTQ candidates win local, state and federal elections.

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LGBTQ Victory Fund

LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.

victoryfund.org