Strong Start for Gay Political Candidates in 2005

Strong Start for Gay Political Candidates in 2005; New Seats Picked Up in 'Red' and 'Blue' States

5/19/2005 10:37:00 AM

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To: National Desk

Contact: Dave DeCicco of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, 202-842-7308

WASHINGTON, May 19 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Elections held on Tuesday ushered three gay candidates into new offices, advanced two candidates to general elections and maintained a strong win rate established for candidates endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a Washington, DC-based political action committee that identifies, trains and supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) candidates for public office.

Earlier this month, Victory Fund played a pivotal role, both financially and strategically, in the election of the first-ever openly gay official in Nebraska. Barbara Baier captured 56 percent of the vote and a seat on the Lincoln, NE School Board. Also in early May, Elena Guajardo won the primary in a crowded field for an open seat on the San Antonio City Council and Mary Jo Hudson won the primary to keep her seat on the Columbus, OH City Council.

On Tuesday, May 17:

-- Bill Rosendahl beat Flora Gil Krisiloff by more than 6,000 votes to pick-up a seat on the Los Angeles City Council

-- Mike Gin was elected Mayor of Redondo Beach, CA with a spectacular 60 percent of the popular vote

-- Dan Ryan won a seat on the Portland, OR School Board

-- Kevin Lee won his primary for the Lansdowne, PA Borough Council and Dan Miller placed a very close 3rd in the Harrisburg, PA City Council primary to secure a spot on the general election ballot

"Gays and lesbians deserve equal access to the American dream and we will never get from here to there without having a voice and a vote in the halls of government," said Chuck Wolfe, Victory Fund's president and CEO. "Victory Fund's 2004 strategy proved successful and this year we're taking it up a notch to elect gay and lesbian officials in states that do not have a single gay person in their legislatures," Wolfe added.

So far in 2005, Victory Fund has endorsed 27 gay and lesbian candidates and expects to endorse dozens more before the end of the year. Year-to-date, 65 percent of Victory Fund candidates have won. A full list of currently endorsed LGBT candidates can be found at http://www.victoryfund.org/candidates.

Victory Fund is the largest LGBT political action committee and one of the nation's largest non-connected, non-partisan PACs. In 2004, 41 of 65 Victory Fund endorsed LGBT candidates (local, state and federal levels) won their races in 20 states and D.C., including five in states that also passed anti-gay amendments in 2004: Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon and Utah. Since its founding in 1991, the Victory Fund has invested over $15 million and secured more than a fivefold increase in the number of openly gay and lesbian officials serving in America to over 285 today.

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