HRC endorses candidates in some of the most competitive races across the country
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced the endorsement of several candidates seeking to expand the pro-equality majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The full list of endorsements can be found below.
“We must reelect and expand the pro-equality majority in Congress to achieve real and lasting change for LGBTQ people,” said Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “The candidates endorsed today are proof that the battleground for the majority is expanding, and LGBTQ equality is a winning issue in every corner of the country. Over the coming months, we will utilize every opportunity and every resource to elect these candidates and ensure we make history once again in 2021 by finally enacting the Equality Act.”
In 2018, HRC was proud to support dozens of pro-equality congressional challengers who explicitly laid out their pro-equality positions in detail and in public.
These candidates largely ran against anti-equality incumbents in districts won by Donald Trump in 2016, but they understood the power of LGBTQ and Equality Voters and knew that support for LGBTQ equality is an asset as opposed to a wedge issue.
As a result of that election, not only do we have a pro-equality U.S. House majority, but we have younger, more racially diverse, more female House membership than ever before. And in 2019, the U.S. House made history by passing the Equality Act — crucial federal legislation that would finally guarantee explicit protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s existing civil rights laws — for the first time. Never before had a comprehensive LGBTQ non-discrimination bill passed a chamber of the U.S. Congress.
This November, the candidates HRC is endorsing today will expand the pro-equality majority, pass the Equality Act, ensure access to quality, affordable health care is protected, pass systemic reform to our police system, ensure common-sense gun safety legislation is considered, and advance voting rights.
Candidates endorsed include:
- Alyse Galvin (AK-AL)
- Margaret Good (FL-16)
- Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-7)
- Michelle de las Isla (KS-2)
- Hillary Scholten (MI-3)
- Kathleen Williams (MT-AL)
- Kara Eastman (NE-2)
- Desiree Tims (OH-10)
- Sima Ladjevardian (TX-2)
- Candace Valenzuela (TX-24)
- Cameron Webb (VA-5)
“Our leaders must be strong and steadfast in protecting the rights of LGBTQ Americans,” said Alyse Galvin (AK-AL) “Thanks to groups like the Human Rights Campaign, significant progress has been made in recent years, but until comprehensive federal civil rights protections are enacted, LGBTQ Americans remain vulnerable to discrimination in almost every sphere of life. I’m honored to have the support of the Human Rights Campaign and I look forward to working with them to ensure equal rights for the LGBTQ community.”
“We are fighting for equality and justice on so many fronts in this country,” said Magaret Good (FL-16). “I am proud to have the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign not only because of their leadership in the fight to end discrimination against LGBTQ people but also because of their fundamental understanding that LGBTQ issues intersect with the fight to end discrimination of people of color and the fight for gender equality. Working together, I know we will create a more just, more free society.”
“I am very proud to come from a community where diversity and inclusion are prized values,” said Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA-7). “The Human Rights Campaign lifts those values up every day in its fight to build a world where LGBTQ people have ensured their basic equal rights and can live their lives openly and honestly. I am honoured to have the support of the Human Rights Campaign and will partner with them to advocate for LGBTQ rights in Congress.”
“As a public interest lawyer and a person of faith, I’ve devoted my life, professional and personal, to defending the rights of our most vulnerable,” said Hillary Scholten (MI-3). “The work of HRC has been indispensable in the fight for equality across the country, and that’s why I am so proud to have their support as we work to make sure every Michigander has the opportunity to succeed.”
“The Human Rights Campaign has fought for the freedom of all Americans to live their lives with dignity and I’m proud to have their endorsement,” said Kathleen Williams (MT-AL). “Montanans know that freedom, privacy, and equality are fundamental rights that we should all be able to enjoy. It’s critical that we continue the fight for equal rights by passing legislation like the Equality Act, which I look forward to helping within January. I am committed to fighting for our values – and for all Montanans – in Congress.”
“LGBTQ rights are human rights and we must do everything in our power to fight injustice wherever we see it,” said Kara Eastman (NE-2)..” I’m honoured to receive the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign and will work tirelessly to protect the human rights and dignity of ALL Americans”
“I’m honoured to stand with and earn the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign,” said Desiree Tims (OH-10). “Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We must protect the freedoms of all LGBTQ+ Americans by bypassing The Equality Act. I am running for Congress to bring opportunity to my district, and that means ensuring that every person in the Miami Valley is protected from harassment and discrimination.”
“I’m proud to have the Human Rights Campaign on our side in this fight for the health of Houston’s diverse family,” said Sima Ladjevardian (TX-2). “We need to keep fighting until equality is the expectation for our LGBTQ+ community — not the exception. While Congressman Dan Crenshaw shamelessly voted against the Equality Act and supported the Trump administration’s dismantling of health care protections for LGBTQ+ Americans, this community suffered. As your congresswoman, I’ll fight until every LGBTQ+ Texan has equal protection under the law and access to the quality, affordable health care they deserve.”
“I am honoured to be endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign. HRC stands as a pillar of the modern fight for civil rights, and I am proud to have their support for our campaign” said Dr. Cameron Webb (VA-5). “As a doctor and educator, I have seen first-hand the devastating effects of discrimination and inequity in our society. With the Human Rights Campaign’s support, I look forward to taking the fight for a more equal and just America to the halls of Congress.”
In the 2018 midterms, HRC mobilized our grassroots army of 3.2 million members, supporters, and volunteers to work on behalf of pro-equality candidates and engage pro-equality voters primarily in six key states: Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
This unprecedented grassroots mobilization worked to recruit and train volunteers, register and mobilize voters and grow the organization’s political organizing efforts in order to pull the emergency brake on the hateful anti-LGBTQ agenda of the Trump-Pence administration and elect a Congress that would hold them accountable.
During this election, our engagement and mobilization efforts have only deepened. In addition to our expansive volunteer network, HRC will have at least 51 full-time staff in seven priority states (Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin) and an additional 26 staff focused on the second tier of states.
While in-person organizing has been limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, HRC has embraced digital organizing, launching a new tool called TEAM allowing our broad network of volunteers and steering committees to engage their networks personally and hundreds of virtual phone banks and text banks to engage pro-equality voters even without the ability to interact in person.
