CHICAGO — The Equality Illinois Political Action Committee (PAC) today issued its early endorsements of legislative candidates running for office in the March 20, 2012 primary election who have strong voting records on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues.
"We really wanted to rush out of the gate early with our endorsements because these stakeholders have been the strongest supporters of the LGBT movement here in Illinois," Jeremy Gottschalk, President of Equality Illinois PAC Board of Directors, said. "We want to make sure that those legislators who have repeatedly supported us in the past have the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits that our PAC endorsement involves as quickly as possible. They have proven themselves to be great allies to the LGBT community, and we want to thank them publicly for their support."
ENDORSED CANDIDATES FOR STATE SENATE:
Sen. Antonio Munoz (D-1)
Sen. William Delgado (D-2)
Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-3)
Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-4)
Sen. Annazette Collins (D-5)
Sen. John Cullerton (D-6)
Sen. Heather Steans (D-7)
Sen. John Mulroe (D-10)
Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-11)
Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-13)
Sen. Emil Jones, III (D-14)
Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-16)
Sen. Donne Trotter (D-17)
Sen. Maggie Crotty (D-19)
Sen. Iris Martinez (D-20)
Sen. Michael Noland (D-22)
Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-28)
Sen. Terry Link (D-30)
Sen. Mike Jacobs (D-36)
Sen. Don Harmon (D-39)
Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-40)
Sen. Linda Holmes (D-42)
Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi (D-43)
Sen. David Koehler (D-46)
Sen. Michael Frerichs (D-52)
Sen. James Clayborne, Jr. (D-57)
ENDORSED CANDIDATES FOR STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Rep. Daniel Burke (D-1)
Rep. Edward Acevedo (D-2)
Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-3)
Rep. Cynthia Soto (D-4)
Rep. Kenneth Dunkin (D-5)
Rep. Esther Golar (D-6)
Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-8)
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12)
Rep. Greg Harris (D-13)
Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-14)
Rep. Lou Lang (D-16)
Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-18)
Rep. Michael J. Madigan (D-22)
Rep. Michael Zalewski (D-23)
Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (D-24)
Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-25)
Rep. Monique Davis (D-27)
Rep. Robert Rita (D-28)
Rep. William Davis (D-30)
Rep. Mary Flowers (D-31)
Rep. Andre Thapedi (D-32)
Rep. Marlow Colvin (D-33)
Rep. Al Riley (D-38)
Rep. Maria Antonia Berrios (D-39)
Rep. Deborah Mell (D-40)
Rep. Keith Farnham (D-43)
Rep. Fred Crespo (D-44)
Rep. Rosemary Mulligan (R-55)
Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-57)
Rep. Carol Sente (D-59)
Rep. Jack Franks (D-63)
Rep. Angelo Saviano (R-77)
Rep. Camille Lilly (D-78)
Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-80)
Rep. Emily McAsey (D-85)
Rep. Jack McGuire (D-86)
Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-92)
Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-103)
Former Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-113)
Rep. Eddie Lee Jackson, Sr. (D-114)
The next round of legislative endorsements for open races will be announced mid-February and will be based on candidates' answers to Equality Illinois PAC's endorsement questionnaire and in-person interviews. Local and non-legislative endorsements will be announced in the coming weeks.
Equality Illinois was founded in 1991 to secure, protect and defend full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. It is the state's oldest and largest LGBT advocacy organization.