The Victory Fund announced today it endorsed 17 candidates in February, bringing to 38 the total number of openly LGBT political candidates backed by the group so far in 2013.

Included in the new slate is Mel Wymore, an openly transgender candidate who is running for a seat on the New York City Council.  Wymore has worked to better his Upper West Side neighborhood for more than 20 years, including 17 as a member of his local Community Board.  He will be competing for an open seat on the Council.

“I’ve worked to achieve tangible and sustainable improvements to quality of life on the Upper West Side, and will work tirelessly for every one of my constituents as a Member of  the NYC Council,” said Wymore.  ”I’m honored to have the Victory Fund’s endorsement.  It will empower us to invite more people to get involved and join the campaign, and that’s really exciting.”

“We are fortunate that outstanding LGBT leaders like Mel Wymore are stepping up to serve cities and states across America.  All of our newly-endorsed candidates have strong records of community involvement and service, and they’re showing both their colleagues and young people that LGBT Americans have much to offer as leaders in politics and government,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.

The full list of February endorsements:

Benjamin Allatt–Harrisburg, Pa., City Council

Adam Carranza–Mountain View, Calif., School Board

José Cisneros–Treasurer, San Francisco

Daniel Dromm–New York City Council

John Duran–West Hollywood, Calif., City Council

Tim Eustace–New Jersey State Assembly, District 38

Jim Ireton–Mayor, Salisbury, Md.

Dave Kaplan–Des Moines, Wash., City Council

Michael Laster–Houston City Council

Dan Manning–Fon du Lac, Wis., City Council

Rosie Mendez–New York City Council

Teege Mettille–Appleton, Wis., City Council

Thomas Peters–School Board, University City, Mo.

Jeffrey Prang–West Hollywood, Calif., City Council

Karin Uhlich–Tucson, Ariz., City Council

James Van Bramer–New York City Council

Mel Wymore–New York City Council

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced Lucinda Guinn has joined the organization as its political director. Guinn will be responsible for overseeing Victory’s political team and endorsement process, which ensures that viable openly LGBT political candidates receive top-notch support and technical expertise during their campaigns. She will also oversee Victory’s well-regarded Candidate and Campaign Training, a first stop on the career tracks of many LGBT political leaders.

Guinn joins Victory as the national political action committee works to build on its 2012 successes, when 124 of 180 endorsed openly LGBT candidates won election, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and six members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

“I’m excited to welcome such an experienced and talented political professional to Victory,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund.  “Lucinda’s reputation is sterling and her winning track record speaks for itself.  I know she shares my vision that there’s nothing the LGBT community can’t achieve in electoral politics if we’re willing to work hard to win.”

Prior to joining the Victory Fund, Guinn was the western political director at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where she helped 11 new candidates get elected to the U.S House and lost no incumbent seats in the last election cycle.

“Lucinda has the skill set to dig into campaigns and help them improve from the inside out.  With years of campaign experience, she is battle tested and knows how to win tough campaigns.  She’ll be able to expand the playing field and help more LGBT candidates get elected to office, which is what makes the Victory Fund such a crucial organization in the fight for equality,” said Robby Mook, DCCC’s former executive director.

Lisa Grove of the polling firm Anzalone Liszt Grove, who worked with Guinn on Arizona Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema’s groundbreaking campaign last year, said, “Lucinda is a great pick for the Victory Fund.  She is smart, strategic, collaborative and knows how to get the win.  I’ve watched her gently move numerous candidates to where they needed to be in terms of message, fundraising and field.  We can count on seeing more LGBT elected officials with Lucinda on the job.”

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)

The Associated Press has declared Kyrsten Sinema has won her race to represent Arizona’s 9th Congressional District, making her the first openly bisexual candidate in history to be elected to Congress.

The Democratic former state senator beat Vernon Parker, a Republican who opposed LGBT non-discrimination laws and marriage rights for same-sex couples.  Sinema’s narrow lead on election night has now grown to more than 6,000 votes during the counting of absentee and provisional ballots, an edge Parker will be unable to overcome, AP said.

“We’re thrilled for Kyrsten.  She’s a dynamic leader and she’ll be a strong voice for her community and for all LGBT Americans,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund, which backed Sinema’s campaign.

Sinema becomes just the second out woman elected to Congress.  She will join Senator-elect Tammy Baldwin, three new openly gay members of the House and two returning members, bringing the total number of LGBT lawmakers on Capitol Hill to seven, the most ever.

Hundreds of openly lesbian, gay and bisexual candidates won election to public offices across America yesterday, including the nation’s first openly gay U.S. Senator, at least six openly gay members of the U.S. House, and seven who will make history as the first or only out lawmakers serving in their state legislatures.

“This wasn’t incremental progress.  This was a breathtaking leap forward,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.  ”Tammy Baldwin’s victory in the face of tens of millions of dollars in super PAC spending against her is a testament to the enormous power of people who believe in and fight for progress, fairness and equality. LGBT candidates and their allies this year showed we are willing to engage fully in the political process to win the freedom we deserve.”

Rep. Tammy Baldwin’s historic victory in the U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin capped big wins in House races, including one for the seat she has held for seven terms.  Mark Pocan was elected in Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District, becoming the first gay candidate who will follow an openly gay member of Congress.

In New York, Sean Patrick Maloney was elected in the 18th Congressional District.  In California’s 41st Congressional District, Mark Takano became the first openly gay person of color to win election to the U.S. House.  In Arizona, former state lawmaker Kyrsten Sinema was elected in the newly-drawn 9th Congressional District.  She became the first openly bisexual member of Congress. U.S. Reps. David Cicilline, D-R.I., and Jared Polis, D-Colo., won reelection to their seats.

Seven state legislatures gained their first or only openly LGBT state lawmakers this year, including North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, New Mexico, Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida, which went from zero to two gay legislators.  And in Oregon and Colorado, state legislative election results have positioned two out lawmakers to become House Speakers.

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