Just two weeks into the new year, the Victory Fund announced today it has already endorsed 36 openly LGBT candidates for 2010 races, with dozens more to come before November.

The newly-endorsed candidates include two, running  in Michigan and Ohio, who would become their state’s only openly LGBT state legislators.  In Arkansas, Jay Barth could become that state’s first openly gay state senator, and in Alabama State Rep. Patricia Todd will be fighting to keep her seat.  This is Todd’s first re-election campaign since she became the state’s first-ever openly LGBT elected official in a nail-biter of a race in 2006.

The Victory Fund’s deputy political director, Shawn Werner, said the large number of early applications for endorsement could mean another banner year for openly LGBT political candidates:  ”I think more out candidates have decided to run, and clearly more of them understand that lining up support early is crucial.  I’m excited about the year ahead.”

For a regularly updated list of endorsed candidates, go to the Victory Fund’s Web site.