New York Rep. Ritchie Torres, who is working to increase LGBTQ representation in Congress, attended Equality PAC’s National Pride Gala at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on June 13.
Photography by Jon Fleming courtesy of Equality PAC
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Photography by Jon Fleming Courtesy of Equality PAC
On a recent evening in Washington, D.C., Union Station’s historic concourse was decked out for a glittering event. Drag queens, political heavyweights and Hollywood stars came together to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Equality Political Action Committee.
“Welcome to our annual gay mafia party,” New York Rep. Rich Torres quipped to the crowd.
Torres is co-chair of Equality PAC, the political arm of the Congressional Equality Caucus, which was founded to advocate for “equality for all people regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics.”
This celebration is not only an anniversary but also an opportunity to raise funds to increase revenue The organization has raised $12 million this cycle to help elect more openly LGBTQ members and allies in Congress and advance the Equality Act, which would provide protections for the LGBTQ community.
The PAC’s success over the years has allowed the organization to expand beyond electing LGBTQ candidates. It is now raising money to support other key Democratic battlegrounds, including so-called frontline members fighting to hold onto their seats in challenging districts and “red-to-blue” candidates running to flip Republican seats.
“[Co-chair Rep. Mark Takano] I’m very proud of that,” Torres said. “Because we recognize that without a pro-equality Congress, without Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, without a Democratic Senate and a Democratic president, we will never be able to make the Equality Act the law of the land.”
Passing this legislation is a difficult task. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made this clear, laying out the steps for the crowd: If Democrats gain a majority in the Senate, they could vote to “revoke” the filibuster to pass the Equality Act with 51 votes instead of the standard 60 votes required.
Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., reminded supporters in a speech that their success depends on electing allies at all levels, including President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. “Our job is to remember” the Biden administration’s support, he told attendees.
“It was Joe Biden who came out in support of same-sex marriage as vice president and then pushed President Obama to come out and be the first administration to support same-sex marriage,” he said. “Vice President Harris, some of you are from California. “People may remember that she began marrying gay couples when she was San Francisco’s district attorney — before same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide.”
Expand LGBTQ representation in Congress
There are currently nine openly LGBTQ representatives and three senators in Congress. Equality PAC, one of a variety of identity-based PACs that fund congressional races, has backed six House candidates to increase their ranks — all Democrats.
“If you’re a Republican, sponsored the Equality Act and support every legislative priority for the LGBTQ community, then you’re theoretically eligible [for PAC support]”,” Torres told NPR before the party. “But in reality, such Republicans don’t exist. Even if you have a pro-LGBTQ Republican, if you vote for an anti-LGBTQ speaker, then that’s a vote against you.” Unfavorable factors.
He said many LGBTQ people fear established rights could be axed following a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturns the constitutional right to abortion.
Texas Rep. Julie Johnson attended Equality PAC’s National Pride Gala on June 13 and said she felt an urgent need to raise awareness at the federal level about anti-LGBTQ measures being advanced in state legislatures.
Photography by Jon Fleming courtesy of Equality PAC
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“Despite the success of marriage equality in 2015, I think we have to be careful not to prematurely declare mission accomplished and not lull ourselves into a false sense of security,” Torres said. “A woman born in 2024 will have fewer rights than a woman born in 1973, a tragic reminder that we cannot take progress for granted and that LGBTQ rights can be just as fragile as reproductive rights.”
Torres said he believes “a new culture war is emerging, with the primary target being the transgender community.”
“We are witnessing unprecedented levels of fear-mongering and scapegoating against LGBTQ people, particularly members of the transgender community,” Torres said.
Torres, who in 2021 became the first openly LGBTQ Black Latinx member of Congress, said his own political journey was a success for the PAC, which he is now building on to help a new crop of candidates achieve decisive victories.
“I view campaigns as part problem-solving and part therapy,” said Torres, who joined PAC co-chair last year alongside co-founder Takano.
“We will be hosting fundraising events, but we will also be providing technical assistance on how to run the event. We are providing emotional support to candidates. We are giving our cell phone numbers to every candidate we support. So if we can provide Any help is on speed dial.
“PACS are not the enemy of politics”
Texas Rep. Julie Johnson said support from Equality PAC helped her defeat a runoff in the March primary, when the second-place candidate trailed her by 31 percentage points.
“Political action committees are not the enemy of politics. PACs create a vehicle for donors to rally around a common cause. I think we need to really move away from this misnomer,” Johnson told NPR. “[Equality PAC has] My greatest companion along the way. They introduced me to donors, helped me find great advisors, and helped me navigate some media issues and policy issues.
Delaware Democratic congressional candidate Sarah McBride hugs Trump during a news conference on the steps of the Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover, Delaware, March 4, 2024. Delaware State Treasurer Colleen Davis. If elected, McBride would be the first transgender person to serve in the U.S. Congress.
Kent West Village/Getty Images/Getty Images North America
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Kent West Village/Getty Images/Getty Images North America
Her district is considered a safe choice for Democrats. If elected in November, Johnson would be the first lesbian to represent Texas at the federal level and the first openly LGBTQ person to serve in Congress from the South.
“I have not lost sight of what my election represents to so many people in Texas and across the country,” Johnson said. “It’s important for us to be able to come out victorious and to be able to come out and be proud. I think It’s a message that I’m more than a gay person. It’s certainly an important part of who I am, but it’s not all of who I am. I’m a lawyer. I’m able to relate to voters and they see themselves in me, whether they’re straight, gay or whatever, because there’s so much else about us [in common] also.
Beyond her history-making campaign, she said, there was power in the representation of the campaign itself.
“The visibility of it in the home is a big thing,” she said. “I come from a very large media market in Dallas-Fort Worth. Being able to see positive political ads on TV that appeal to the LGBT community and reflect LGBT people in a positive way when they’re getting so much counter-message from the Republican Party, That’s really the key. It’s really important for people to see themselves – ‘Oh my gosh, they see me.’ That makes a huge difference.
“It’s much harder to hate up close”
Delaware Sen. Sarah McBride is familiar with the feeling of being “first.” She is the first openly transgender person elected to the state Senate and is expected to win Delaware’s lone seat in the House of Representatives in November, which would make her the first transgender member of Congress.
“When people like me face brutal and concerted attacks, it is critical to have adequate and effective transgender legislators at all levels of government to demonstrate that transgender people are part of this country’s rich diversity,” And to strengthen trans people as people,” she told NPR.
She said she is a member of a newsletter group for candidates endorsed by Equality PAC.
“It’s incredibly comforting and helpful for candidates to have a small group of people know what it’s like to do what we do day in and day out,” she said.
McBride said she has seen firsthand the impact of representation in state politics.
“It’s much harder to hate up close,” she said. “I’ve seen the power of the relationships you have when you’re a colleague and a colleague – I’ve seen them change the approach, the minds and the hearts of people in Delaware. I know this could be a big deal for Washington. More demanding, but I know it’s possible.
Ultimately, she said, if elected to the U.S. Congress, she hopes her identity won’t be the first thing people think of when considering her tenure.
“They will consider the policies that I helped advance — I think that’s the best way to ensure that while I may be the first, I’m not the last, and that we build a world that’s no longer noteworthy when trans candidates run And when you win,” she said.
