Equality Maryland Releases Second Set of Endorsements

Following is Equality Maryland's press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 6, 2010

Equality Maryland Releases Second Set of Endorsements for the 2010 Election

Maryland’s LGBT Advocacy Organization Committed to Electing Candidates Who Will Stand up for Fairness and Equality in the Maryland State Legislature

CONTACTS:
Morgan Meneses-Sheets
Executive Director
morgan@equalitymaryland.org

Lisa Polyak
Chair of the Political Action Committee
lmpolyak@hotmail.com

Baltimore, MD - As members of the national LGBT community strategize on where we go next in the fight for equality, many eyes are on the Free State. Without a doubt there is great momentum for marriage equality, but Maryland is also gaining momentum in the work to ensure that transgender and gender variant Marylanders are provided equal treatment under the law.

“We are pleased that so many candidates are standing with us in our efforts to advance equality,” said Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Executive Director of Equality Maryland. “Our work is about providing individuals with basic legal rights and ensuring that the children who are being raised by loving, committed same-sex parents have the same safeguards as other families. These are issues of fairness.”

The minimum criteria for endorsement by the Equality Maryland PAC includes completing the questionnaire and support for EQMD’s two key legislative priorities – gender identity anti-discrimination protections and marriage for same sex couples. Additional considerations included viability, ability to advance legislation, and relationship with key constituencies.

“Equality Maryland will continue to work hard to elect those candidates who believe in treating all Marylanders with respect and dignity,” said Lisa Polyak, Chair of the Political Action Committee.

Equality Maryland Endorsements

The list includes endorsements previously released on June 26th. The new endorsements are in bold.

Maryland State Senate

Jordan Hadfield D 6
Delores Kelley D 10
Bobby Zirkin D 11
Edward Kasemeyer D 12
Jim Robey D 13
Karen Montgomery D 14
Robert Garagiola D 15
Brian Frosh D 16
Jennie Forehand D 17
Rich Madaleno D 18
Mike Lenett D 19
Roger Manno D 19
Jamie Raskin D 20
Paul Pinsky D 22
Darrell Carrington D 23
Tim Quinn D 37
Nancy King D 39
Catherine Pugh D 40
Nathaniel McFadden D 45
George Della D 46
David Harrington D 47
Victor Ramirez D 47

Maryland House of Delegates

Candy Greenway D 3
Galen Clagett D 3
Ryan Trout D 4
Maryann Maher D 9
Jon Weinstein D 9
Adrienne Jones D 10
Elizabeth Bobo D 12
Guy Guzzone D 13
Shane Pendergrass D 13
Frank Turner D 13
Eric Luedtke D 14
Craig Zucker D 14
Anne Kaiser D 14
Kathleen Dumais D 15
Aruna Miller D 15
Brian Feldman D 15
Ariana Kelly D 16
Bill Frick D 16
Susan Lee D 16
Kumar Barve D 17
Jim Gilchrist D 17
Luiz Simmons D 17
Dana Beyer D 18
Al Carr D 18
Ana Sol Gutierrez D 18
Jeff Waldstreicher D 18
Bonnie Cullison D 19
Jay Hutchins D 19
Benjamin Kramer D 19
Sheila Hixson D 20
Tom Hucker D 20
Heather Mizeur D 20
Ben Barnes D 21
Barbara Frush D 21
Joseline Pena-Melnyk D 21
Tawanna Gaines D 22
Justin Ross D 22
Nicole Williams D 23
James Hubbard D 23
Gregg Hall D 24
Erek Barron D 25
Kris Valderrama D 26
Judd Legum D 30
Virginina Clagett D 30
Stan Janor D 31
B. Daniel Riley D 34
Rudolph Cane D 37
Shane Robinson D 39
Charles Barkley D 39
Kirill Reznik D 39
Barbara Robinson D 40
Shawn Tarrant D 40
Samuel Rosenberg D 41
Lori Albin D 42
Stephen Lafferty D 42
Curtis Anderson D 43
Maggie McIntosh D 43
Mary Washington D 43
Keiffer Mitchell D 44
Peter Hammen D 46
Brian McHale D 46
Luke Clippinger D 46
Jolene Ivey D 47
Doyle Niemann D 47

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Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community.

Equality Maryland can be found online at www.equalitymaryland.org. The Equality Maryland office can be reached at 410-685-6567.