New York City mayoral hopeful Christine Quinn, the current speaker of the city council, is set to address more than 1,000 attendees at the annual Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch this weekend in Washington, D.C. She’ll join Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims, comedian Loni Love and others as Victory supporters celebrate unprecedented electoral success for LGBT candidates in 2012, and look ahead to big races like Quinn’s in 2013.

“Washington, D.C., loves Chris Quinn because we rarely get to hear politicians tell us exactly what they’re thinking,” said Victory Fund president and CEO Chuck Wolfe, who also be a featured speaker at Sunday’s brunch.  ”This is going to be one of the most exciting races of the year. There are a lot of LGBT people in Washington who will be watching to see if New York makes history this year by electing its first woman and first openly LGBT mayor.”

Sims became the first openly LGBT candidate elected to the Pennsylvania state legislature last year, and Baldwin became the first openly LGBT U.S. senator in one of the most closely-watched federal races of 2012.

“This is a celebration of a landmark year in LGBT politics, but it’s also a look ahead to what we can accomplish this year, when we expect more than 100 candidates will be endorsed in local, state and federal races,” Wolfe said.

LGBT ally and “Chelsea Lately Show” regular comedian Loni Love is set to kick off the festivities at the International Ballroom of the Washington Hilton.  To learn more or secure last-minute tickets, go here.

New York City could become the largest municipality in the world to elect an openly gay mayor if City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is successful in her bid for the job.  Quinn officially kicked off her campaign today, releasing a biographical video that touts her love of the city where she grew up.

Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund, said the group’s endorsement of Quinn was an easy call.  ”Chris is so clearly and deeply passionate about New York City and the people who call it home.  She works hard to make sure the city works for everyone, and that’s what people expect of their elected leaders,” said Wolfe.  ”As mayor of New York City, she will be a worldwide symbol of what openly LGBT people can achieve when we work hard, earn the respect of our communities and fight to win.”

Quinn would become the first woman and the first openly LGBT person to serve as mayor of New York City.

According to a poll released Thursday night, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn continues to lead by a wide margin in the race to become NYC’s next mayor.

Quinn registered at 37 percent in the new poll conducted by NY1 and Marist College. She needs 40 percent to avoid a runoff in the Democratic primary.

Other Democratic candidates trail Quinn by significant margins. Former Comptroller Bill Thompson came in second place in the poll with 13 percent, and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio followed with 12 percent.

On the Republican side, Joseph Lhota, former chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, leads his party with 20 percent . The WSJ notes, “The poll showed each of the major Democratic contenders beating Mr. Lhota in hypothetical match-ups. For example, Ms. Quinn outpaces Mr. Lhota 64 percent to 18 percent.”

Quinn’s election would make her New York City’s first openly LGBT mayor, and would make the city the world’s largest municipality ever to be led by an openly gay mayor.

The Victory Fund announced its endorsement of Christine Quinn for mayor of New York City in January. Chuck Wolfe, President and CEO of the Victory Fund, told Gay Politics, “Her election would send a clear message that there are no barriers, no glass ceilings in New York City for LGBT leaders who want to serve their city as public officials.”

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced its endorsement of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for mayor of New York.  Quinn’s election would make New York the world’s largest municipality ever to be led by an openly gay mayor.

“Christine Quinn’s record leading New York, in some of the city’s most challenging times, speaks for itself.  She has been a tireless advocate for all of the people of New York, passing seven on-time city budgets, expanding access to pre-kindergarten slots for tens of thousands of New Yorkers, and keeping thousands of teachers from being laid off.  But she is also a hero to members of the LGBT community across New York and around the country, who see her honest and open service as a symbol of what’s possible for all of us,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.  “Her election would send a clear message that there are no barriers, no glass ceilings in New York City for LGBT leaders who want to serve their city as public officials.”

This latest endorsement comes on top of endorsements Quinn has received from national and statewide organizations such as EMILY’s List and Empire State Pride Agenda.

The Victory Fund also announced it has endorsed 21 openly LGBT candidates so far for 2013 races, including mayoral candidates in Seattle, Minneapolis, Houston, Harrisburg, Pa., and Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Victory Fund is the nation’s largest LGBT political action committee and the only national organization dedicated to growing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at all levels of government throughout the United States.  In 2012, Victory endorsed 180 candidates, with 124 of those going on to win their races, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and six members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

2013 Victory Fund-endorsed candidates through January:

Mayoral Races

Mark Kleinschmidt for Mayor, Chapel Hill, N.C. (incumbent)
Daniel Miller for Mayor, Harrisburg, Pa.
Ed Murray for Mayor, Seattle
Annise Parker for Mayor, Houston (incumbent)
Christine Quinn for Mayor, New York City
Gary Schiff for Mayor, Minneapolis

Municipal Legislative Races

Chris Anderson for City Council, Chattanooga, Tenn., District 7
Mike Bonin for City Council, Los Angeles, District 11
Don Bourque for Board of Selectman, Webster, Mass.
Joel Burns for City Council, Fort Worth, Texas, District 9 (incumbent)
Shane Cohn for Board of Aldermen, St. Louis, Ward 25 (incumbent)
Dwayne Crenshaw for City Council, San Diego, District 4
Scott Criqui for City Commission, Lawrence, Kansas
Matt Haag for City Council, Rochester, N.Y. (incumbent)
Robert Lilligren for City Council, Minneapolis, Ward 6
Lawrence Robinson for City Council, Phoenix, District 8
Chris Seelbach for City Council, Cincinnati, At-Large (incumbent)

Other Municipal Races

Carol Becker for Board of Estimate and Taxation, Minneapolis
Ron Galperin for City Controller, Los Angeles
David Vela for Board of Trustees, Los Angeles Community College District, Seat 6

State Legislative Races

Reed Gusciora for N. J. State Assembly, District 15 (incumbent)

New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn would easily beat all other Democrats thought to be running for mayor if the primary were held today, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University.

She was the choice of 32 percent of survey respondents, with other contenders in what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary field notching less than 10 percent support.  Quinn also enjoys a 65 percent approval rating among New Yorkers, the poll found.

These days Quinn’s focus is less on 2013 mayoral politics than cleanup and recovery from Hurricane Sandy, the storm that devastated parts of New York City.  She’s outlined a plan to spare the city from future damage by erecting a comprehensive flood protection system.

“The time for casual debate is over,” Quinn told the Wall Street Journal. “It’s now crystal clear that we need to build protective structures. This will include both hard infrastructure, like sea walls, bulkheads or flood gates, and natural defenses, like sand dunes, wetlands and embankments.”