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Endorsed Candidates

Endorsed candidates support full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Americans. Check who they are...

Listed first are ENDORSED CANDIDATES TO FUND followed by OTHER ENDORSED CANDIDATES.

These are the top priority candidates to support. Do three things: HELP THEM, TELL THEM, FOLLOW UP

  1. HELP THEM: Give money, fundraise for them, volunteer, do a house party, etc.
  2. TELL THEM: That you are an LGBTQ donor and that you are proud they support LGBTQ legal equality.
  3. FOLLOW UP: After the election, congratulate them and encourage them to pass legislation for legal equality.
Note that the maximum that you can give to federal candidates in 2007-2008 is $42,700. This is why it is critical to focus your giving in candidates that are pro-equality instead of giving candidates that may not be 100% on our issues.


ENDORSED CANDIDATES TO FUND

These candidates are pro-equality (because they support all the Equality Goals), are running for federal or statewide office, and are in a competitive race (polling within 10 points of the opponent). They are considered the highest priority for funding. See the details of the criteria for endorsements. All of the candidates were personally interviewed by eQualityGiving. To propose a candidate to endorse, please complete this form in full.

 

Endorsed Candidate Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords Arizona

GIVE TO CONGRESSWOMAN GABRIELLE GIFFORDS FOR RE-ELECTION TO THE US HOUSE (D-AZ)
Letter from Donor | Donate to Gabrielle Giffords | Campaign website

Because she is a pro-equality Congresswoman, she is an Equality Hero. Because she is in a close race for re-election, she is also an Endorsed Candidate to Fund.

Her district, held for many years by openly gay Jim Kolbe until she won this seat two years ago, is up for grabs, as she faces a formidable opponent, the Arizona State Senate President, Republican Tim Bee.

"One of the most basic principles of our great nation is our respect for personal freedom, and I am committed to protecting the freedom of each and every American.  The government should not determine what marriage is or is not. That is up to the people in the relationship.   I also support equalizing the treatment of same-sex couples and families. The civil rights of all Americans should be honored and strengthened.  That is one of my top priorities in Congress."


Endorsed Candidate Jeff Merkley Senate Oregon

GIVE TO JEFF MERKLEY FOR US SENATE (D-OR)
[Co-endorsed with Steve Novick]
Letter from Donor | Donate to Jeff Merkley | Jeff Merkley website

As Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, Jeff had a crucial role in bringing the Domestic Partnership law to Oregon last year. 

"Gordon Smith has not done enough for LGBT rights as a Senator. I will work in the Senate, as I have in the Oregon House, to convince my colleagues to support equality legislation."

 

Endorsed Candidates Senate Steve Novick Oregon

GIVE TO STEVE NOVICK FOR US SENATE (D-OR)
[Co-endorsed with Jeff Merkley]
Letter from Donor | Donate to Steve Novick | Steve Novick website

As a non-conventional candidate (he's 4'9" and has an artificial left arm) Steve understands you have to fight against discrimination.

His website includes this statement: "The Declaration of Independence says that we all have the right to 'the pursuit of happiness.' I believe that to be true to that principle, we need marriage equality."

 

Endorsed Candides Senate Al Franken MinnesotaGIVE TO AL FRANKEN FOR US SENATE (D-MN)
Letter from Donor
| Donate to Al Franken | Al Franken website

Franken supports all Equality Goals, and his chances of defeating the Republican incumbent are considered likely.
 
"Look I have been married for 32 years. My marriage is so important to me that I wouldn't want to deny it to anyone. And I don’t see gay marriage as a threat to my marriage. What I think is a more important issue is employment, is ENDA. Thirty-three states say it is legal to fire someone for being gay and I think that’s a bigger issue."

 

Endorsed Candidate Linda Ketner for Congress South Carolina

GIVE TO LINDA KETNER FOR US HOUSE (D-SC)
Letter from Donor | Donate to Linda Ketner| Linda Ketner website

Linda is the first eQualityGiving Advisory Board Member to run for office and one of the most prominent lesbian donors in the country. Her campaign prospectus is impressive because it highlights her many qualifications and shows she can upset an unpopular Republican incumbent in a district that should be represented by a Democrat.

If elected, she would be the second open lesbian in Congress, joining Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, an Equality Hero.

  

Endorsed Candidate Congress Betsy Markey Colorado

GIVE TO BETSY MARKEY FOR US HOUSE (D-CO)
Letter from Donor | Donate to Betsy Markey | Betsy Markey website
 
Running against Marilyn Musgrave, the author of the discriminatory Marriage Protection Amendment, Betsy supports equal rights for everybody, including gays and lesbians.

"People in my district don't want to regulate marriage, they want to improve their economic conditions and provide for national security."

 

 

Endorsed Candidates Congress Jared Polis Colorado

GIVE TO JARED POLIS FOR US HOUSE (D-CO)
Letter from Donor | Donate to Jared Polis | Jared Polis website

 

Polis is pro-equality and would be a vote in the US House to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," pass ENDA and Hate Crimes, and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

If elected, he would be the first openly gay man to be elected to Congress as a freshman.

 

 

 

Endorsed Candidates Congress Madia Minnesota

GIVE TO ASHWIN MADIA FOR US HOUSE (D-MN)
Letter from Donor | Donate to Ashwin Madia | Ashwin Madia website

As a Marine and a lawyer from immigrant parents, Madia served in Bagdad in '05 and '06. He stands fearless in his support for equality, including marriage.

"I support gay marriage because it's time that our society became truly equal and stopped discriminating against people based on who they love.  I think leaders need to show courage in standing up for marriage and equality."

 

 

Endorsed Candidate Darcy Burner for Congress

GIVE TO DARCY BURNER FOR US HOUSE (D-WA)
Letter from Donor | Donate to Darcy Burner | Darcy Burner website

Burner is pro-equality because she supports marriage equality and all the Equality Goals. She supports including transgender protections in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.  In 2006, she nearly beat the Republican incumbent, and this time around she very well may.

"I am deeply committed to the principle of equal treatment under the law. It is the bedrock of our democracy; our founding principle is that all persons are created equal."

 


Endorsed-Candidate-Ed-Fallon-for-Congress.jpg

GIVE TO ED FALLON FOR US HOUSE (D-IA)
Letter from Donor | Donate to Ed Fallon | Ed Fallon website
 
Famous for his 1996 speech on the Iowa Statehouse floor in favor of marriage equality, he now has the opportunity to bring his pro-equality message to the US House floor.

"By singling out gay and lesbian marriages as a union unacceptable in the eyes of the law, we fuel the fires of ignorance, intolerance, and hatred."

 



Endorsed-Candidate-John-Kroger-Attorney-General-Oregon.jpg

GIVE TO JOHN KROGER FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL (D-OR)
Letter from Donor | Donate to John Kroger | John Kroger website

Kroger is a law professor, an ex-marine, and a former federal prosecutor. As Attorney General, he would be enthusiastic in his responsibility to enforce Oregon's new Domestic Partnership law.

"Personally, I believe in same-sex marriage. Though religious organizations must be free to recognize their own rules, I believe the state should not discriminate by providing marital benefits to some, but not others."

  

If you have given $1,000 or more to one of these Endorsed Candidates, please post your reasons why in the Giving For Equality Blog. A few sentences about your motivation and strategy will be very compelling for other donors.

Also you can post major fundraising events for the Endorsed Candidates

 

OTHER ENDORSED CANDIDATES

These candidates up for election this year deserve to be endorsed since they are pro-equality, but funding their campaigns is not as strategic because they are not in a competitive race (either they consistently poll ahead of the opponent by more than 10 points or they trail the opponent consistently by more than 10 points). Should any of these heroes find themselves in close races, they will be listed as an Endorsed Candidate to Fund, and an alert will be send to inform the donors.  To propose a candidate to endorse, please complete this form in full. Check the endorsement criteria.

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY PELOSI

CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK 

CONGRESSWOMAN TAMMY BALDWIN

CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH

CONGRESSMAN JESSE JACKSON JR.

CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS

CONGRESSWOMAN GWEN MOORE

CONGRESSMAN JIM MORAN

CONGRESSMAN JEROLD NADLER

CONGRESSWOMAN ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON 

Marine Corps Veteran WILLIAM MEYERS (Candidate for US House in Iowa)

 

Check also: Endorsement Criteria | Form to Endorse Candidates | Heartbreaking Candidates | Candidates to Defeat

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Last Modified 2008-05-07