Out Bisexual candidate will face anti-LGBTQ incumbent; 15 Victory Fund-endorsed candidates advanced or won in Tuesday's primaries

WASHINGTON, DC - Openly bisexual congressional candidate Katie Hill (CA-25) won enough votes to secure a spot on the November ballot and will face anti-LGBTQ incumbent Steve Knight in the general election. With a win in November, Hill [would] become the first openly LGBTQ congresswoman from California and just the second openly bisexual person elected to the US Congress.

'Katie's victory sets up a general election battle between her positive, solutions-oriented vision for the district and the politics of hate and destruction her opponent thrives on,' said Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund. 'Steve Knight and his family made careers out of attacking LGBTQ people and working to roll back equal rights. Now, voters have an opportunity to defeat him with an openly bisexual woman who has pledged to represent all her constituents. Katie will make history in becoming the first openly LGBTQ congresswoman from California if elected in November, but more importantly, she will head to Capitol Hill determined to reduce the divisiveness and produce actual results for all Americans.'

In addition to Hill's victory, Ricardo Lara won enough votes in his race for California Insurance Commissioner to carry on into the general election. Lara would be the first openly LGBTQ person elected statewide in California. Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia also easily won reelection.

At least 15 Victory Fund-endorsed candidates won their races or will head to primary runoffs or general elections in Alabama, California, Iowa, and New Jersey. Results are still coming in for some races. The current list of winners includes the following:

Alabama: o Felicia Stewart, Alabama House of Representatives, District 46 (heads to general)

o Neil Rafferty, Alabama House of Representatives, District 54 (heads to primary runoff) California

o Kevin Beiser, San Diego Unified School Board President (heads to general)

o Jennifer Campbell, San Diego City Council (heads to general)

o Sabrina Cervantes, California Assembly, District 60 (heads to general)

o Jimmy Dutra, Santa Cruz County Supervisor, District 4 (heads to general)

o Robert Garcia, Mayor of Long Beach (reelected)

o Katie Hill, US House of Representatives, CA-25 (heads to general)

o Ricardo Lara, California Insurance Commissioner (heads to general)

o Jeffrey Prang, Los Angeles County Assessor (heads to general)

o Joaquin Rivera, Alameda County Board of Education (elected)

o Joy Silver, California State Senate, District 28 (heads to general)

o Mark Takano, US House of Representatives, CA-41 (heads to general)

Iowa

o Liz Bennett, Iowa House of Representatives, District 65 (heads to general) New Jersey

o Julia Fahl, Mayor of Lambertville (elected)

The LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America's politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government. victoryfund.org

Courtesy of the LGBTQ Victory Fund

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