HRC Announces Pro-Equality Leaders for U.S. Senate
On July 15, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization announced the endorsement of six candidates who are crucial to establishing a pro-equality majority in the U.S. Senate.
According to the HRC, in 2019, the U.S. House made history by passing the Equality Act — crucial federal legislation that would finally guarantee explicit protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s existing civil rights laws — for the first time. However, despite the support from over 70 percent of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has refused to bring the bill up for a vote.
The candidates endorsed by HRC are crucial to establishing a pro-equality majority in the U.S. Senate to finally break Sen. Mitch McConnell’s stranglehold on LGBTQ rights and protections, including passing the Equality Act.
Newly-Endorsed Candidates include:
- Sara Gideon (ME)
- Theresa Greenfield (IA)
- MJ Hegar (TX)
- John Hickenlooper (CO)
- Sen. Ed Markey (MA)
- Jon Ossoff (GA)
“Despite support from 70 percent of the American public, Mitch McConnell has stood in the way of progress for LGBTQ people and refused to even allow a vote on the Equality Act,” said Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “Today’s endorsements mark the next step of HRC’s efforts to elect a pro-equality U.S. Senate and end McConnell’s tenure as majority leader. Each of these candidates are true allies of our movement and will work to ensure LGBTQ people are treated with the respect and dignity every human deserves. Together, united like never before, we can achieve the change our community needs.”
John Hickenlooper of Colorado responded saying, “I’m honored to have the support of the Human Rights Campaign — the country’s leading organization for LGBTQ equality,” said Hickenlooper. “I’ve been proud to work with HRC here in Colorado on issues like marriage equality, and I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with them in the U.S. Senate to finally pass the Equality Act and make progress on other key priorities for the LGBTQ community. We’ve seen assault after assault from the Trump Administration on health care protections for trans individuals and crucial guidelines to protect LGBTQ students, and Senator Gardner has shamefully stood silently by. Enough is enough — it’s time to change Washington and fight for equality for all.”
With a new pro-equality Senate majority alongside the House pro-equality majority, there is now the opportunity not just to pass the Equality Act, but ensure access to quality, affordable health care is protected, common-sense gun safety legislation can be considered, voting rights can be advanced, and anti-equality judges are not appointed to our federal courts and the Supreme Court.
