Press Release

Victory Fund endorses eight more openly gay candidates

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308, denis.dison@victoryfund.org

Washington, D.C.—The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced eight more endorsements of openly gay and lesbian candidates, raising the total number of endorsees so far this year to 40.  The newly-endorsed candidates are:

Elisa Burns-Macon—Birmingham, Alabama Board of Education

Jose Cisneros—San Francisco, California Treasurer

Scott Klein—Hamtramck, Michigan City Council

Steve Kornell—St. Petersburg, Florida City Council

Kathy Luz Herrera—Tompkins County, New York Legislature

Charles Pugh—Detroit, Michigan City Council

Tim Purington—Holyoke, Massachusetts City Council

James Van Bramer—New York City Council

Victory Fund President and CEO, Chuck Wolfe, said he was pleased the group is on track to endorse a record number of out candidates for a non-federal election year.  “It’s more important than ever that out leaders step up to run for office.  We are winning our equality in places where openly gay and lesbian elected officials are serving.  They are authentic and powerful voices for the LGBT community and we need their presence on city councils, in state legislatures and in the Congress,” Wolfe said.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization dedicated to growing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at all levels of government.  Today, 434 out officials are serving in elective office across the United States, up from just 49 when the Victory Fund was founded in 1991.  To learn more, visit www.victoryfund.org.