Rep. Mary Gonzalez was sworn in this week, officially making her America’s first openly pansexual elected official and Texas’ only out lawmaker. Gonzalez, a Democrat, is also the first woman to represent Texas’ District 75.

The El Paso native begins her tenure driven to be an influential presence within the legislature: “I want [mine] to be the most progressive, most inclusive, most welcoming office to everybody who comes in,” Gonzalez told The Dallas Voice.

Victory Fund president and CEO Chuck Wolfe emphasized the importance of Rep. Gonzalez’ election: “This is a big victory for Mary, for El Paso and for Texas. The people of El Paso will be represented by a talented and committed fighter who knows how to get things done in Austin. And LGBT Texans will be represented by an authentic voice in the Capitol, standing up and speaking out for fairness and freedom for all.”

Gonzalez is just the second openly LGBT individual to serve in the Texas legislature.  (The first, former State Rep. Glen Maxey, served from 1991 to 2003.)

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today announced 17 new endorsements of openly LGBT candidates, including 12 who are running for seats in their state legislatures.  The June endorsements bring to 129 the total number of Victory-endorsed candidates for 2012, but the group expects plenty more before November, according to Tiffany Muller, vice president for political operations.

“We’re on track to have our biggest year ever, including winning legislative races that would make history,” said Muller.

Two newly-endorsed candidates for the Florida House of Representatives, Joe Saunders and Dave Richardson, would be the Sunshine State’s first openly gay state lawmakers.  In Texas, Ann Johnson (pictured) could join Mary E. Gonzalez as the only openly LGBT state legislators.  And  Josh Boschee could become the first-ever openly LGBT state lawmaker in North Dakota.

Victory Fund’s new endorsees are:

State Legislative Races

Josh Boschee
North Dakota State House of Representatives, District 44

Justin Chenette
Maine State House of Representatives, District 134-Saco

Jeffrey Friedman
New York State Assembly, District 21

Sarah Gillooly
Missouri State House of Representatives, District 24

Abel Guillen
California State Assembly, District 18

Brad Hoylman
New York State Senate, District 27

Sam Yingling
Illinois State House of Representatives, District 62

Ann Johnson
Texas State House of Representatives, District 134

Claudia Kyle
Oregon State House of Representatives, District 19

David Pierce
New Hampshire State Senate, District 5

Dave Richardson
Florida State House of Representatives, District 113

Joe Saunders
Florida State House of Representatives, District 49

Municipal and Judicial Races

Elizabeth Berns
King County, Wash., Superior Court

Patrick Gossett
Rehoboth Beach City Commission

Carol Kuhnke
22nd Circuit Court Judge, Ann Arbor, MI

Brian McGrain
Ingham County, Mich., Board of Commissioners

Stephen Smith
Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board of Commissioners

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund today congratulated Mary E. Gonzalez on her win last night in a decisive Democratic primary to represent District 75 in the Texas House of Representatives.  Gonzalez faces no Republican opponent in November, meaning she will win the El Paso seat and become the state’s only openly LGBT  lawmaker.

“This is a big victory for Mary, for El Paso and for Texas,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Victory Fund, which endorsed Gonzalez and supported her campaign.  “The people of El Paso will be represented by a talented and committed fighter who knows how to get things done in Austin.   And LGBT Texans will be represented by an authentic voice in the Capitol, standing up and speaking out for fairness and freedom for all.”

Gonzalez will become just the second openly LGBT individual to serve in the Texas legislature.  (The first, former State Rep. Glen Maxey, served from 1991 to 2003.)  Her win will shrink the number of state legislatures – currently 17 – with no openly LGBT lawmakers.

Other Victory Fund-backed candidates winning their primary elections in Texas Tuesday include Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, and Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg.

George Clayton, an elected member of Texas’ State Board of Education, has come out as gay in an e-mail sent to news organizations.  Clayton, a Republican, said he hoped coming out would allow him to “avoid the tyranny of misinformation and innuendo,” in his reelection campaign, according to the Dallas Voice.

Clayton’s sexual orientation had been the topic of campaign gossip among his opponent, Geraldine “Tincy” Miller, and her supporters, according to the Texas Tribune, with some political operatives suggesting his “living arrangements” should be investigated.

“I wish to say that I, in fact, do have a male partner who lives with me in my home in Richardson, Texas. I hope this frank announcement satisfies Tincy Miller and the ladies associated with the Golden Corridor organization. All of us can now move on with discussions concerning education instead of being overly occupied with my personal life,” Clayton wrote in the e-mail.

One conservative blogger and education decided to rescind her endorsement of Clayton after learning he is gay.  ”If Clayton is indeed a homosexual, then we as voters must be concerned about re-electing him to the SBOE since the Board will soon begin the process of writing and adopting Health curriculum requirements for all Texas public school students,” wrote Donna Garner in an e-mail to reporters.

Robert Lee Pitman has been confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas, according to the Dallas Voice.

The full U.S. Senate voted Monday to confirm Pitman, an openly gay judge who was nominated by President Barack Obama in June.  Pitman’s nomination was supported by Texas’ two Republican U.S. Senators, John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Obama has appointed two other out U.S. Attorneys:  Laura Duffy, a lesbian who is serving in the Southern District of California, and Jenny Durkan, a lesbian who is the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington.

Photo:  Dallas Voice