Big Wins in Four States, Abortion on the Ballot and more!

The latest in LGBTQ+ Politics. [LGBTQ+ Victory Fund logo]( [The Agenda]( LGBTQ+ Stories You Should Know About Big Wins: California, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Arizona! Some highlights: [Jesus Rivera overcame homophobic attacks on the campaign trail]( and defeated his conservative opponent to win a seat on the Cambridge, WI School Board. [DJ Nichols will be the only out LGBTQ+ person on the Oshkosh City Council](. And [Casey Clowes will be the first out LGBTQ+ member of the Salt River Project District Board in Arizona]( – the nation’s largest public power utility. Unfortunately, we came up short (just 15 votes!) in Matthew Lehner's race for the Eau Claire County Board, [but he has already vowed to run again]( We are also sad to report that [Angus Abercrombie lost his election for Belmont School Board in Massachusetts](. In California, we FINALLY [have certified election results from Congressional District 16](. [Evan Low has TIED for second place]( [an unprecedented result]( We know Evan has what it takes to pull off a big win in November. Malcolm Kenyatta Gaining Momentum! New this week: Former PA Auditor General and U.S. Senator Bob Casey endorsed Malcolm Kenyatta’s campaign! [Watch the full endorsement video here.]( Malcolm also spoke with 90.5, Pittsburgh’s NPR affiliate, [laying out his plan for the office and what improvements he’d make. Read the full interview here](. Primary Day in Pennsylvania is April 23rd. [Meet all the Victory Fund endorsed candidates on the ballot here]( Abortion Rights are on the Ballot [Great news from Arizona and Florida]( [activists in both states have collected enough signatures]( to add abortion rights to the ballots. The news comes just as the [Florida Supreme Court handed down a ruling upholding the state’s draconian 15-week abortion ban](. [Read more on which states will host abortion ballot measures – and which states are still in process](. Signs indicate [these ballot measures will drive voter turnout]( – not only a good sign for the measures themselves, but any pro-choice LGBTQ+ candidates running in the state ([hey, we know some! Learn more about them here](. [DONATE BUTTON]( Celebrating The First: Kathy Kozachenko Every year on April 2nd, [our sister organization LGBTQ+ Victory Institute celebrates the original historic first: Kathy Kozachenko](. In 1974, [Kathy ran as an out lesbian for a seat on the Ann Arbor City Council - and WON]( officially becoming the first out LGBTQ+ person to win public office in the U.S. [Read more about Kathy's historic victory in her own words here.]( LGBTQ+ Women on the Campaign Trail [LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Loyola Marymount University released a new report brief]( on the [experiences of LGBTQ+ women candidates on the campaign trail](. You can also read an exclusive report in [LGBTQ Nation](. This exciting survey asked LGBTQ+ candidates to [describe their motivations for running, the challenges they faced and how their identities affected their campaigns](. You can read [the full report brief -- The Experiences of LGBTQ+ Women Candidates here](. QUICK HITS: The News in a Moment [Donald Trump has officially endorsed U.S. Senator Tammy {NAME}’s opponent, millionaire Eric Hovde, while calling Tammy a “very weak candidate.”]( Will Rollins has released his new quarter one fundraising numbers: [In the first three months of 2024, his campaign raised over $1.8 million and now have over $3 million on-hand. It's the single biggest raise ever in one quarter against Ken Calvert]( A big endorsement for Joe Vogel: the [National Education Association and teachers’ unions are supporting his campaign for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District]( “Everyone has the right to feel safe and wanted. We are at our best when we celebrate the diversity of humanity.” – [California State Senate candidate Lisa Middleton, on protecting trans rights](. Minnesota state Representative Leigh Finke, now running for reelection, celebrated International Transgender Day of Visibility – and noted how much work is still to be done. [Read the full piece here]( Kyra deGruy Kennedy, our candidate for Colorado State House 44, has a message for her “Trump-loving” opponent: [she’s ready to win](. [DONATE BUTTON]( LGBTQ+ Victory Fund is the political arm of the LGBTQ+ community. Since our founding in 1991, we’ve supported and elected LGBTQ+ candidates like U.S. Senator Tammy {NAME}, Governors Maura Healey, Tina Kotek and Jared Polis and thousands of LGBTQ+ candidates around the country. We’re proud to be the only national organization endorsing pro-equality and pro-choice LGBTQ+ candidates in the United States. We’ve shattered rainbow ceilings in all 50 states and broken election records. [Meet our latest endorsements here!]( We’ve shattered rainbow ceilings in all 50 states and broken election records. [You can power our work and the next Rainbow Wave with a donation today!]( [DONATE TODAY]( [DONATE MONTHLY]( FOLLOW ALONG: [Instagram]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( Paid for by LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. Your contribution may be used in connection with federal, state and local elections and be subject to federal, state and local laws. Contributions to LGBTQ+ Victory Fund are not tax deductible. Victory Fund members do not have governance participation rights. LGBTQ+ Victory Fund 1225 I Street NW, Suite 525 Washington, DC 20005 United States This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Don't unsubscribe just yet — you can change how many & what type of emails you receive by [by updating your account here](. Unsubscribing will remove you from ALL Victory Fund email contact. If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive ANY email from us, please [unsubscribe](.