California Voters Choose Candidates Who Support Full Equality
Voters across California elected legislative candidates who where endorsed by Equality California, a GLBT political PAC.
Eighty five percent of the candidates endorsed by Equality California’s Political Action Committee in the June 3 Primary Election won their races, ensuring that California’s 2009 Legislature will continue to support full and equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Californians, according to a release from Equality California.
EQCA’s PAC, which only endorses candidates who support complete equality for the entire GLBT community, endorsed 53 legislative candidates in the primary election and 45 of those candidates won their races.
The election also secured the LGBT Legislative Caucus for 2009 with a projected four-member leadership. GLBT candidates expected to win their November races in districts that safely vote Democratic include incumbent Sen. Christine Kehoe from San Diego and Assembly candidates John Perez, a former Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency Commissioner, and San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano.
Assemblymember Mark Leno, who defeated incumbent Sen. Carole Migden and former Marin Assemblymember Joe Nation in the 3rd Senate District, is also expected to win in November.
The EQCA PAC did not endorse any of the candidates vying for San Francisco’s Senate seat.
Openly GLBT candidates who lost races on June 3 include West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, Cathedral City Councilmember Greg Pettis, former Deputy State Controller Laurette Healey and Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington.
Mayor Cabaldon lost a tight race to Yolo County Supervisor Mariko Yamada in the 8th Assembly District, earning 48.5 percent of the vote compared to Yamada’s 51.5 percent.
In Alameda County, openly transgender Superior Court judge candidate Victoria Kolakowski lost the election.
In the November general election, three EQCA PAC-endorsed candidates in swing districts will face opponents who do not support equality for the GLBT community. Santa Barbara Senate candidate Hannah Beth Jackson and Assembly candidates Marty Block (San Diego) and Joan Buchanan (Danville) will face challenging contests.
“Equality California’s Political Action Committee will campaign vigorously for these community allies and pro-equality candidates to further our goal of maintaining a Legislature that supports full and equal rights for all Californians,” said Diane Abbitt, chair of the EQCA PAC.
Submitted by Editor on Wed, 06/04/2008 - 12:05pm.
