EQUALITYMAINE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE RELEASES ENDORSEMENTS FOR THE 2024 ELECTION

Harris/Walz, King, Pingree, and Over 100 Legislative Candidates Receive Support

PORTLAND, Maine – EqualityMaine has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz in the upcoming November election. From the beginning of her career, Vice President Harris has fought to protect the freedom of LGBTQ+ Americans to love who they love and be who they are, openly and with pride. Governor Walz is a career-long champion for LGBTQ+ Americans as a teacher, GSA advisor, Congressman, and Governor. 

The organization also announced its endorsement of Sen. Angus King, who has a strong voting record in support of the LGBTQ+ community, for re-election to the United States Senate. “Our nation was founded on the promise of ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’, a basic condition in which you are free to be yourself without unfair treatment, interference, or other discrimination no matter who you love, where you live, what skin color you have, or what religion you practice,” said Sen. King. “As we move forward as a nation, let us recommit ourselves to protecting and supporting the LGBTQ+ community as we each individually choose how we want to live happy, healthy, and safe lives.” In 2021, he became an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act, a historic, comprehensive bill that would ban discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans. 

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, co-chair of the Equality Caucus, has earned the group’s endorsement for re-election to the United States House of Representatives. She has proven her commitment to extending equal rights, repealing discriminatory laws, eliminating hate-motivated violence, and improving health and well-being for all, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. 

The group has also endorsed over 100 pro-equality candidates for the Maine Senate and House of Representatives. 

“Equality is on the ballot in every race in this election, and our community stands ready to defend our rights and our families,” said John Hennessy, President of the EqualityMaine Foundation and the EqualityMaine PAC. “We have stood up for the LGBTQ+ community for 40 years in Maine. More than three dozen anti-LGBTQ+ proposals were introduced in the last legislative session alone, and we expect them to resurface next year. We will be ready to defeat them again with a pro-equality majority in the Senate and House”.

Maine has seen more than its share of extreme anti-LGBTQ+ proposals offered by legislative opponents. Unfortunately, despite this legislation being defeated by solid majorities in the last session, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric has been on the rise locally and nationally. Initiatives targeting transgender people, health care, teachers, librarians, counselors, coaches, voting access, marriage equality, and LGBTQ+ youth take a great toll on the LGBTQ+ community. 

EqualityMaine will work hard to elect pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot this year and will not rest while anyone in the LGBTQ+ community is under attack.

EqualityMaine

EqualityMaine is the oldest and largest statewide organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society for LGBTQ+ Mainers. Its mission is to protect and advance full equality for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Mainers by creating an inclusive and intersectional movement through political action, community building, education, engagement, and collaboration. For more information, visit equalitymaine.org. 

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