Victory in the News

Pink carpet rolled out for Gay Pride weekend

Groundbreaking Election Looms For San Diego

In fact today the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community is seen as a strong political force in the city. And there’s a strong possibility San Diego could elect its first openly gay mayor in 2012.

The field of candidates includes three strong gay candidates. Councilman Carl DeMaio and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis have already begun campaigning for the office. State Senator Christine Kehoe is also exploring a run. Susan Atkins, National Chair of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, calls the race an embarrassment of riches. Her organization works to get openly gay candidates elected to office across the country. She said San Diego has been a model for embracing diversity.

"We have a very cohesive and generous community in San Diego who, from a fairly early time, certainly the early '90s, realized that politics matters," she said.

Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe on a Gay President

Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe on a gay President: "I think we may see a candidate in 5 cycles, that’s 20 years. [...] You have too build the bench here. So we’re spending a lot of time on the trainings, and getting people elected as mayors. We have a few state-wide elected officials today. Often somebody has a better chance if they’re a governor or U.S. senator, having been elected statewide to have an existing base to run for president of the United States."

In case you hadn’t noticed, Texas is now down to just 3 openly gay city council members

Dison said the Victory Fund, which endorsed both Hightower and Shade, doesn’t keep a running total of the number of gay city council members in each state. But he noted that Texas is one of the few big states that lack an out legislator, and city councils are often a stepping stone to higher office.

“Chris Hightower’s loss was heartbreaking, both because he came so close and because he was subject to some pretty awful anti-gay politicking,” Dison told Instant Tea today. “My understanding is Shade’s loss had nothing to do with her sexual orientation.

“Municipal offices like those are very important because that’s often where future state legislators get their start, and Texas really needs an openly LGBT voice in the Capitol.

“We hope our progress is constant, but sometimes the challenges seem to bunch up and we’ve got to redouble our efforts,” Dison said. “We’ve seen a lot of success in Texas and I think we’ll continue to see good people decide to run from both parties.”

N.J. lawmaker pushes for passage of gay marriage legislation

With the legalization of gay marriage in New York just shy of passage, a New Jersey lawmaker says it’s time to pick up the conversation here.

"They’re talking about it in New York," said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Mercer), the state’s only openly gay lawmaker, who proposed a bill (A4130) on Monday to legalize same-sex marriage. "Why aren’t we talking about it in New Jersey?"

Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe Predicts Viable Openly Gay President Within 20 Years

During an appearance this morning on CSPAN’s Washington Journal, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund President Chuck Wolfe predicted that America will see its first viable openly gay presidential candidate in five election cycles:

Chuck Wolfe Discusses Victory Fund, Challenges Facing LGBT Politicians

Supporting Bonnie Dumanis

Bonnie Dumanis is the first openly gay District Attorney in the U.S. Her courageous candidacy and successful election shattered a glass ceiling. It made history and inspired the LGBT community nationwide.

During her campaigns, Bonnie was endorsed by the Victory Fund – four times. Their endorsement is significant because the Victory Fund carefully screens LGBT candidates and only supports those whom they deem worthy.

For Gay Aspiring Politicians, a Workshop on Campaign Strategies

Modeled on Emily’s List, the political action committee that works to elect Democratic women, the fund, with a budget of more than $5 million culled largely from gay donors, is a powerful force behind this trend, raising money, providing strategic advice and endorsing candidates like Ms. Baldwin, one of its rising stars.

In 1991, the year the fund was founded, it endorsed two candidates. Last year, it endorsed 164. The fund also helps closeted officials come out, and, through its Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute, runs boot camps like the one in Pittsburgh several times a year.

The idea, said Chuck Wolfe, the fund’s president and chief executive, is to build a “back bench” of politicians who can win at the local level and work their way up. Across the country, only five statewide officeholders are openly gay. Mr. Wolfe says he believes voters would accept a gay candidate for president, though he expects it will take 20 more years to produce a credible candidate.

Fund holds boot camp here for gay politicians

As a gay man running for City Council in Houston, which already has a lesbian mayor, Josh Verde figured that he would have no trouble talking to voters about his sexuality. Then he came to Pittsburgh, to a boot camp for openly gay candidates, and promptly flubbed his lines.

"I have a boyfriend," Mr. Verde announced during a mock interview with a campaign consultant posing as a reporter. Instantly, he regretted the words. "It sounded like high school," he said later, amending his language to say, "I'm in a relationship."

Mr. Verde, 31, a law student and aviation consultant, was one of roughly three dozen openly gay aspiring politicians who spent last weekend in a Pittsburgh hotel conference room for a crash course in campaign strategy. Run by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, which works to elect gay men and lesbians from both parties to public office, the three-day session offered stark evidence of how far gay politicians have come, and how quickly.

Victory Fund To Honor GOP Senator At Fundraiser

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has selected a Republican U.S. senator to honor with an award for her work last year in building GOP support for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.The Victory Fund will award Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) with the 2011 Gay & Lesbian Leadership Award at the event, which will take place Oct. 5 in D.C.

Denis Dison, a Victory Fund spokesperson, confirmed Collins would be present at the event, the 11th annual Gay & Lesbian Leadership Awards.
Dison said his organization wanted to honor Collins primarily because of her role in passing legislation allowing for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

“It’s primarily because of her leadership — especially leadership on the Republican side of the aisle — on repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” Dison said.

Kim Coco Iwamoto and Kathy Padilla are among the 14 Bohnett Fellows

The 2011 class of David Bohnett Gay & Lesbian Leadership Fellows were recently announced by the David Bohnett Foundation and the Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute.

The GLLI and the Bohnett Foundation get together to send openly TBLG people who are accomplished, mid-career professionals who are leaders in government and non-profit organizations to Harvard’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program. 

Kim Coco Iwamoto and Kathy Padilla are among the 14 Bohnett Fellows who will receive scholarships for the program that counts among its graduates Houston mayor Annise Parker, Campbell, CA Councilman Evan Low and Arizona State Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Gay Georgia lawmakers invited to prestigious leadership course

The Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute, a nonpartisan professional development organization for LGBT leaders, announced yesterday its 2011 class of David Bohnett Gay & Lesbian Leadership Fellows, which included out Georgia lawmakers Alex Wan and Karla Drenner.

The Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute will send the fellows to Harvard's Kennedy School Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, a two-month leadership course held in June and July, aimed at helping seasoned professionals connect with constituents.

Michigan State University senior Mitchell Rivard earns D.C. internship with Nancy Pelosi

Mitchell Rivard isn’t sure yet if he wants run for political office one day, but the Michigan State University senior knows who he does want running.“I’m interested in making sure we have the right leaders elected to office,” said Rivard, 21, of Frankenlust Township. “I have a deep-seated passion for getting women elected to office.

Rivard’s eight-week internship is part of the Victory Congressional Internship program, a new program from the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute that provides outstanding, young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered leaders with a summer experience on Capitol Hill.

Good Sandra Bernhard vibrations

Out There just scored a phone interview with the great comedienne/actress/singer Sandra Bernhard , who's coming to San Francisco later this month for some shows and appearances. She called us at our offices from her home in New York City at the appointed time, completely punctual.

Bernhard's new album was released this week. Her Marines' Memorial performances are on Fri.-Sat., June 24 & 25. She'll also be appearing on SF Pride's mainstage performing a 15-20-minute musical set. On Thurs., June 23, the VIP Kick-off Party to Celebrate Pride 2011 will transpire at the elegant Bentley Reserve in SF, 6-9:30 p.m., with hostess Bernhard performing. That soiree will be presented by PG&E and host Mark Rhoades, and it's benefiting the Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute.

Alex Wan, Karla Drenner chosen for Harvard leadership program

Atlanta City Council Member Alex Wan and Georgia State Rep. Karla Drenner are among just 14 LGBT leaders in the country to receive scholarships to attend the Senior Executives in State & Local Government professional development program at Harvard.

The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute announced on Wednesday the 2011 class of David Bohnett Gay & Lesbian Leadership Fellows, and Wan and Drenner made the cut.

Drenner was Georgia’s first openly gay legislator, followed years later by Rep. Simone Bell and just last week, Rep. Rashad Taylor.

Georgia State Rep. Rashad Taylor comes out as gay

State Rep. Rashad Taylor, the youngest member of the Georgia General Assembly, came out as gay last month during a hastily called press conference.

First elected in 2008, Taylor becomes the third openly gay member of the state House, joining state Reps. Karla Drenner and Simone Bell. He also becomes just the sixth openly gay African-American state legislator in the U.S., according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. Taylor came out during an emotional event at the Rush Center at the end of May.

Harvey Milk Has An Important Place In History, But He’s Not The First.

Harvey Milk is often lauded as the first openly gay elected official in America – and he’s certainly an important and historical figure – but the claim that he was the first is false.  In fact, Harvey was the fifth openly gay elected official in the U.S.  Ann Arbor’s Kathy Kozachenko was actually the first, just 3 years before Harvey.

The Victory Fund’s Gay Politics Blog has more on the four openly gay elected officials that preceded the famous Mr. Milk.

Tammy Baldwin eyes Senate run

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin’s office is, thus far, silent on whether the openly gay legislator might make a bid for the U.S. Senate. But buzz about that possibility is hot, particularly within the LGBT community because, if successful, Baldwin would become the first openly gay person to serve in the U.S. Senate.

“This would obviously be a top priority for us,” said Victory Fund president Chuck Wolfe, according to the website. “This would be a remarkable milestone for LGBT Americans. Congresswoman Baldwin is one of the most admired public officials I know. She would have the strong support of those who want to see our economy work for all Americans, and who believe that all voices deserve a place at the table.”

The Victory Fund even launched a petition where people can “tell Tammy Baldwin we need her voice in the Senate.” Sign it by going here.

Our First Openly Gay U.S. Senator?

Openly gay Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is reportedly mulling a run to replace the retiring Sen. Herb Kohl, who leaves office in 2012. If successful, Baldwin would become the first openly gay U.S. Senator in history. The Victory Fund is already promising Baldwin their full support.