Kansas elects Native American lesbian Sharice Davids to Congress
“Tonight Kansas voters gave the boot to a Trump ally and replaced him with a groundbreaking LGBTQ leader who spoke her truth throughout the campaign,” said former Houston mayor and current President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, Annise Parker, said.
Daily Archives: November 7, 2018
BREAKING: House Flips with Historic Victories for HRC-Backed, Pro-Equality Candidates Nationwide
BREAKING: House Flips with Historic Victories for HRC-Backed, Pro-Equality Candidates Nationwide
Tonight, HRC celebrated historic victories for HRC-endorsed LGBTQ candidates and pro-equality allies in key races across the nation. Dozens of HRC-backed candidates declared victory tonight, following 18 months of unprecedented engagement and voter mobilization in more than 70 congressional races and key state-level races from governor to state legislature in 23 states from coast-to-coast.
In the summer of 2017, the Human Rights Campaign launched HRC Rising, the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history. Since then, HRC has endorsed more than 480 pro-equality candidates nationwide, and deployed 150 staff to organize and mobilize voters in more than 70 congressional, targeted senate and key statewide races across 23 states. HRC also backed more women and people of color than in any election cycle in its history: 45 percent of HRC’s endorsees were women — including 55 percent of non-incumbent candidates — and nearly one-third were people of color.
Tonight, a record number of LGBTQ lawmakers were elected at all levels. Notably, Senator Tammy Baldwin was re-elected to the U.S. Senate. Jared Polis became the first openly gay man to be elected governor in the United States. Oregon Governor Kate Brown, the first LGBTQ governor in history, was re-elected. Sharice Davids became the first gay Native American lawmaker in Congress. And a record number of out LGBTQ candidates were elected and re-elected to the U.S. Congress.
HRC helped register more than 32,000 voters and recruited more than 4,200 volunteers, who worked over 8,500 shifts and clocked more than 30,000 volunteer hours. In the critical final four days of the campaign, HRC staff and volunteers in get-out-the-vote efforts alone knocked on more than 80,000 doors, and held 36,400 conversations with voters at their doors and by phone on behalf of our endorsed candidates.
Since June, HRC President Chad Griffin has barnstormed the country campaigning for 50 pro-equality candidates at more than 70 events in 47 cities across 23 states.
“Tonight, millions of LGBTQ voters and allies across the nation rejected the politics of hate and fear and put Donald Trump and Mike Pence on notice,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The days of attacking LGBTQ people for political gain are over, and the American people will not stand for lawmakers who try to drum up votes by trafficking in hate. Thanks to millions of Americans who stood up and fought back, we have succeeded in restoring a sane, pro-equality majority to the House and placing a check on this administration’s hateful agenda. To the 3 million members of the Human Rights Campaign who have worked tirelessly for the last 18 months to out-organize and out-mobilize anti-LGBTQ extremists nationwide, thank you for making history tonight. Together we have sent a loud and clear message that if you come for us, then we will come for you on Election Day.”
HRC’s unprecedented grassroots mobilization represented an investment of approximately $26 million to recruit volunteers, mobilize constituents, register voters and grow the organization’s grassroots army in an all-out effort 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.
HRC’s Equality Votes PAC spent $3.2 million to drive turnout through direct mail and digital ads in priority races including Senator Tammy Baldwin, Jacky Rosen, Kyrsten Sinema, Harley Rouda, Mike Levin, and Representatives-elect Sharice Davids and Angie Craig. HRC also invested in six-figure GOTV ads in Georgia and Florida. Through tested digital ads, HRC was able to reach a total of 4.6 million voters across priority races.
We also celebrate a historic victory in Massachusetts where voters upheld non-discrimination protections for transgender people in public spaces. Question 3 – which asked voters whether to maintain a 2016 law protecting transgender people from discrimination in critical public accommodations including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, stores and public transportation – was the first time gender identity non-discrimination protections were on a statewide ballot independent of protections based on sexual orientation. HRC serves as a founding executive committee member of Freedom for All Massachusetts, a coalition of national and state equal rights organizations, which led the successful Yes on 3 Campaign.
Over the last two years, the Trump-Pence administration has relentlessly attacked the LGBTQ community, from a “license-to-discriminate” executive order to revoking protections for transgender students to unconscionably attempting to ban brave transgender troops from serving openly. Within the last two weeks, the New York Times reported that the administration was secretly planning to redefine “sex” to exclude transgender people in an intentional effort to eliminate federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. A list of the administration’s attacks over the last two years can be found here.
HRC has released a number of statements on major victories for top HRC-backed candidates.
- Victory For HRC-Backed Senator Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin
- Victory for HRC-Backed Candidate Jared Polis, Nation’s First Openly Gay Man Elected Governor
- Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates in Historic Pennsylvania Election
- Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates in Historic Michigan Election
- Victory for HRC-Backed Sharice Davids: 1st Native Woman in Congress, 1st LGBTQ Member from Kansas
- Victory for HRC-Backed U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and State Senator-Elect Nickie Antonio in Ohio
- Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates Amy Klobuchar, Angie Craig and Tina Smith in Historic Minnesota Election
- Victory for HRC-Backed Oregon Governor Kate Brown
- Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates J.B. Pritzker, Sean Casten and Lauren Underwood in Historic Illinois Election
- Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates Tom Malinowski and Mikie Sherrill in Historic New Jersey Election
- Victory for HRC-Backed Jennifer Wexton & Abigail Spanberger in Historic Virginia Election
- Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates Colin Allred, Lizzie Fletcher and Sylvia Garcia in Texas
Lawbreaking anti-gay county clerk Kim Davis loses reelection bid
Lawbreaking anti-gay county clerk Kim Davis loses reelection bid
Bye Felicia!
‘Yes on 3’ Wins! Massachusetts Votes to Keep Transgender Protections
‘Yes on 3’ Wins! Massachusetts Votes to Keep Transgender Protections
Massachusetts voters have handed a resounding victory for transgender people, defeating a first-of-its-kind effort to repeal the state’s landmark transgender rights law.
VICTORY: #Massachusetts votes #YesOn3 to uphold dignity and respect for our #transgender neighbors! Together, we’ve secured the first-ever statewide victory for transgender protections at the ballot box. pic.twitter.com/wPTwaWuGQj
— Vote Yes on 3 (@Freedom_Mass) November 7, 2018
The sound of a historic victory. #YesOn3 pic.twitter.com/lOBBPIYjzD
— Vote Yes on 3 (@Freedom_Mass) November 7, 2018
The post ‘Yes on 3’ Wins! Massachusetts Votes to Keep Transgender Protections appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.
‘Yes on 3’ Wins! Massachusetts Votes to Keep Transgender Protections
Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar and Angie Craig in Historic MN Election
Victory for HRC-Backed Candidates Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar and Angie Craig in Historic MN Election
Today, the Human Rights Campaign released the following statement on HRC-endorsed Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar winning re-election to the U.S. Senate and Angie Craig winning the Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District seat. Angie Craig will become Minnesota’s first LGBTQ person elected to Congress.
“Tonight, Minnesota rejected Donald Trump and Mike Pence’s politics of bigotry and fear and made history by electing bold pro-equality champion Angie Craig as Minnesota’s first openly LGBTQ person elected to Congress,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Since last summer HRC has organized more than 750,000 equality voters across the state and we are proud to have put these candidates across the finish line. Tonight we celebrate this incredible moment and tomorrow we look forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to work with Craig, and Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, to check the Trump-Pence administration’s hateful agenda and ensure the safety and dignity of all Minnesotans.”
HRC had six staff on the ground across Minnesota and, working with scores of volunteer organizations, led field organizing efforts around the state to mobilize voters in support of HRC-backed, pro-equality champions including Klobuchar and Smith, Governor-elect Tim Walz, Representatives-elect Craig, Dean Phillips and others who will fight for LGBTQ rights, and for the rights and welfare of all Minnesotans. Over the last four days in Minnesota, HRC members and supporters knocked on over thousands of doors and texted over 21,000 Minnesotans voting resources and reminders. In addition to robust door-to-door, mail and phone canvassing in partnership with local groups, HRC hosted four Equality Action Academy trainings to give HRC members and supporters the tools they need to take action locally in legislative advocacy and in support of pro-equality candidate campaigns.
HRC’s Equality Votes PAC invested more than $3 million in an ad blitz focused on voter engagement and turning out the vote in key states and congressional districts–including Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District in support of Angie Craig. The digital advertising focused on educating over 83,000 voters about early voting options, mobilizing them to turn out on November 6th, and holding Trump-enabling like Jason Lewis accountable for his extreme positions on issues such as health care, immigration, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights and more.
Klobuchar and Smith both won re-election by defeating anti-LGBTQ candidates State Rep. Jim Newberger and State Sen. Karin Housley. Throughout her career, Amy Klobuchar has been a leading advocate for equality in the U.S. Senate. She is an original cosponsor of the Equality Act, crucial federal legislation that would finally guarantee comprehensive protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s civil rights laws. Smith has championed equality, justice and fairness during her time in public service. As chief of staff for Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, she was integral in the push for statewide marriage equality in 2013 and helped pass anti-bullying legislation. Smith is also a cosponsor of the Equality Act.
Craig ousted heinously anti-LGBTQ Rep. Jason Lewis, an opponent of marriage equality who received a zero on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard, which measures support for LGBTQ equality. As the former head of global human resources of St. Jude’s Medical, a Fortune 500 company, Craig also worked to advance equality within her company and enlist the business community’s support for marriage equality across Minnesota. As a member of the U.S. House, Craig pledges to support the Equality Act.
| Paid for by Human Rights Campaign PAC (www.hrc.org) and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. |
Lady Gaga figure at Madame Tussauds Hollywood
Lady Gaga figure at Madame Tussauds Hollywood
Luke Rauscher posted a photo:
Lady Gaga at Madame Tussauds Hollywood – November 4th, 2018
