The LGBTQ Victory Fund endorsed 46 more out LGBTQ candidates as of August 23. Victory Fund has now endorsed 381 candidates running in the 2022 midterms, including Marcia Morgan, who is running for North Carolina State Senate in District 7.
Currently North Carolina State Senate District 7 is represented by incumbent Jim Perry, a Republican. Prior to redistricting, the Senate District included Johnston, Sampson, Bladen, Pender, Columbus, New Hanover and Brunswick counties, as well as a portion of Harnett County. Now the district is smaller and includes Wilmington, Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach, among others, according to Ballotpedia.
Vying for Perry’s seat is LGBTQ Community member, former educator and retired army Colonel Marcia Morgan. A former educator, Morgan also served in the United States Army. Included in her platform is a commitment to improving the economy, protecting the environment and providing equal opportunities for all.
Says Morgan: “One of the key measures of a society is how well we treat each other and especially how we treat those who are different. Passing heinous bathroom bills, supporting hate groups that seek to divide us, branding entire religious groups as terrorists or all immigrants as criminals, merely highlights the negative side of humanity. It is time to reach out to those who are oppressed, to live in harmony rather than fear.”
Ballotpedia describes the district as follows: 48.7 percent of the population in Senate District 7 is male, while 51.3 percent female. The overall population is predominantly Caucasian, making up 51.9 percent of residents. Black people are 33.6 percent of the population, while 11.2 percent of the population is identified as Hispanic.
Candidates given spotlight status include Delaware state Senator Sarah McBride, who in 2020 became the first trans state senator in U.S. history (there are a record number of out trans candidates running this year), Celia Israel who is running for Mayor of Austin, Texas, Ally Layman who is running for the West Virginia House of Delegates, Mary Moriarty who is running for Hennepin County Attorney and Omar Torres who is running for San Jose City Council.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, released the following statement about the endorsements:
“We are seeing historic momentum behind LGBTQ candidates this year as voters get energized and motivated to elect leaders that represent the true diversity of America. We are proud to support these highly qualified LGBTQ leaders who are ready to represent their communities in government. Come November, their success will be a clear sign that we will not – and cannot – go back. We must continue fighting for progress so that future generations can live in a truly equitable and equal society. Until then, we will continue strengthening our political power by building a rainbow bench of LGBTQ leaders.”
The complete list of candidate endorsements announced today is below:
Spotlight Endorsements
Celia Israel (she/her)
Mayor of Austin, TX
General: 11/8/2022
Runoff: 12/13/2022
Ally Layman (she/her)
West Virginia House of Delegates, District 24
General: 11/8/2022
Mary Moriarty (she/her)
Hennepin County Attorney, MN
General: 11/8/2022
Omar Torres (he/him)
San Jose City Council, District 3, CA
General: 11/8/2022
General Candidates
Lorena Austin (she/they)
Arizona House of Representatives, District 9
General: 11/8/2022
Todd Cimino-Johnson (he/him)
Leesburg City Council, VA
General: 11/8/2022
Patricia Contreras (she/her)
Arizona House of Representatives, District 12
General: 11/8/2022
Megan Cottington-Heath (she/her)
Saginaw County 10th Circuit Court, MI
General: 11/8/2022
April Christina Curley (she/her)
Baltimore City Board of Education, MD
General: 11/8/2022
Brion Curran (she/her)
Minnesota House of Representatives, District 36B
General: 11/8/2022
Andrea Beth Damsky (she/her)
Helix Water District Board, Division 2, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Jimmy Dutra (he/him)
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, District 4, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Amanda Gonzalez (she/her)
Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder, CO
General: 11/8/2022
John Kashwick (he/him)
Clinton Town Council, NJ
General: 11/8/2022
Jessica Katzenmeyer (she/her)
Wisconsin State Senate, District 5
General: 11/8/2022
Joel Kinnamon (he/him)
Desert Community College District Board of Trustees, Area 4, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Richard Mehlinger (he/him)
Sunnyvale City Councilmember, District 5, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Marcia Morgan (she/her)
North Carolina State Senate, District 7
General: 11/8/2022
William Muetzenberg (he/him)
Tracy City Council, At-Large, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Tina Nieto (she/her)
Monterey County Sheriff, CA
General: 11/8/2022
María Isa Pérez-Hedges (she/her)
Minnesota House of Representatives, District 65B
General: 11/8/2022
Nick Resnick (he/him)
Oakland Unified School District Board of Education, District 4, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Mike Rice (he/him)
Vermont House of Representatives, Bennington-Rutland
General: 11/8/2022
Clare Oumou Verbeten (she/her)
Minnesota State Senate, District 66
General: 11/8/2022
Stephanie Wade (she/her)
Seal Beach City Council, District 3, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Jesse Walker (he/him)
Goodlettsville City Commission, At-Large, TN
General: 11/8/2022
Tyller Williamson (he/him)
Mayor of Monterey, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Unopposed Candidates
Cassandra May Albaugh (she/her)
Cotati Rohnert Park School Unified District Board of Trustees, Area 2, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Amanda Shelton (she/her)
Oakland County Circuit Court, MI
General: 11/8/2022
General Incumbents
Kim Abbott (she/her)
Montana House of Representatives, District 83
General: 11/8/2022
Dan Arriola (he/him)
Tracy City Council, At-Large, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Wendy Berry (she/they)
West St. Paul City Council, Ward 3, MN
General: 11/8/2022
Tiffany Bluemle (she/her)
Vermont House of Representatives, Chittenden-13
General: 11/8/2022
Douglas DiSabito (he/him)
Grand Isle County State’s Attorney, VT
General: 11/8/2022
J.D. Ford (he/him)
Indiana State Senate, District 29
General: 11/8/2022
Sarah George (she/her)
Chittenden County State’s Attorney, VT
General: 11/8/2022
Rosanna Herber (she/her)
Sacramento Municipal Utility District Board of Directors, Ward 4, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Leslie Herod (she/her)
Colorado House of Representatives, District 8
General: 11/8/2022
Kathleen James (she/her)
Vermont House of Representatives, Bennington-4
General: 11/8/2022
Heather Keeler (she/her)
Minnesota House of Representatives, District 4A
General: 11/8/2022
Sarah McBride (she/her)
Delaware State Senate, District 1
General: 11/8/2022
Alicia Mousseau (she/her)
Oglala Sioux Tribe Vice President, SD
Primary: 10/18/2022
General: 11/8/2022
Jamie Pedersen (he/him)
Washington State Senate, District 43
General: 11/8/2022
Caitlin Quinn (she/her)
Petaluma Joint Union High School District Board of Education, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Gabriel Quinto (he/him)
El Cerrito City Council, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Liz Reyer (she/her)
Minnesota House of Representatives, District 52A
General: 11/8/2022
Adam Rogers (he/him)
La Habra City School Board, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Greg Smith (he/him)
City & Borough of Juneau Assembly, District 1, AK
General: 11/8/2022
Adam Spickler (he/him)
Cabrillo Community College Governing Board, Area II, CA
General: 11/8/2022
Danielle Walker (she/her)
West Virginia House of Delegates, District 81
General: 11/8/2022
More information about all of Victory Fund’s endorsed candidates is available at victoryfund.org/ourcandidates.