June 26, 2010 

Equality Maryland Releases Early Endorsements for the 2010 Primaries 

Maryland’s LGBT Advocacy Organization Committed to Electing Candidates Who Will Stand up for Fairness and Equality in the Maryland State Legislature 

CONTACTS: 
Morgan Meneses-Sheets Lisa Polyak 
Executive Director PAC Chair 
Cell: 202-812-9229 Cell: 410-599-2112 
morgan@equalitymaryland.org lmpolyak@hotmail.com 

Baltimore, MD - As members of the national LGBT community strategize on where we go next in the fight for equality, many eyes are on the Free State. Without a doubt there is great momentum for marriage equality, but Maryland is also gaining momentum in the work to ensure that transgender and gender variant Marylanders are provided equal treatment under the law. 

“We are under no pretense that this fight will be easy. It is up to us to capitalize on the recent momentum behind equality, said Lisa Polyak, Chair of the Equality Maryland Political Action Committee. “That is why Equality Maryland PAC is excited to be part of the push to elect candidates who will stand up for fairness.” 

“This is a key election year in the movement for equality," said Morgan Meneses-Sheets, Executive Director of Equality Maryland. "Through both our grassroots network and our political action committee, we intend to protect those lawmakers who have stood on the right side of history and put our stake in the ground in the districts of those who work against equal protections for our families." 

Equality Maryland PAC sent questionnaires to over 300 candidates. The minimum criteria for endorsement includes completing the questionnaire and support for EQMD’s two key legislative priorities – gender identity anti-discrimination protections and full civil marriage equality. Additional considerations included viability, ability to advance legislation, and relationship with key constituencies. The vetting process for endorsement is ongoing as the PAC continues to interview the growing number of electoral challengers. If warranted, additional endorsements will be announced when this process is complete. 

The Equality Maryland PAC is proud to announce the first set of endorsements for the upcoming 2010 elections in November. 

Maryland State Senate 

Delores Kelley D-10 
Bobby Zirkin D-11 
Edward Kasemeyer D-12 
Karen Montgomery D-14 
Rich Madaleno D-18 
Jamie Raskin D-20 
Paul Pinsky D-22 
Nancy King D-39 
Catherine Pugh D-40 
Nathaniel McFadden D-45 


Maryland House of Delegates 

D-3A Galen Clagett 
D-10 Adrienne Jones 
D-12B Elizabeth Bobo 
D-13 Frank Turner 
D-14 Anne Kaiser 
D-15 Brian Feldman 
D-16 Bill Frick 
D-16 Susan Lee 
D-17 Kumar Barve 
D-17 Luiz Simmons 
D-17 Jim Gilchrist 
D-18 Dana Beyer 
D-18 Al Carr 
D-18 Ana Sol Gutierrez 
D-18 Jeff Waldstreicher 
D-19 Benjamin Kramer 
D-20 Tom Hucker 
D-20 Heather Mizeur 
D-21 Ben Barnes 
D-21 Barbara Frush 
D-21 Joseline Pena-Melnyk 
D-22 Justin Ross 
D-23 James Hubbard 
D-26 Kris Valderrama 
D-30 Virginia Clagett 
D-30 Judd Legum 
D-34A B. Daniel Riley 
D-39 Charles Barkley 
D-39 Kirill Reznik 
D-40 Barbara Robinson 
D-40 Shawn Tarrant 
D-41 Samuel Rosenberg 
D-42 Stephen Lafferty 
D-43 Maggie McIntosh 
D-43 Curt Anderson 
D-43 Mary Washington 
D-46 Brian McHale 
D-46 Luke Clippinger 
D-47 Jolene Ivey 
D-47 Doyle Niemann 

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Equality Maryland is Maryland's largest LGBT civil rights organization, focused on making life better for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Maryland. Equality Maryland works to secure and protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Marylanders by promoting legislative initiatives on the state, county and municipal levels and educating the public about the issues faced by our diverse community. 

Equality Maryland can be found online at www.equalitymaryland.org. The Equality Maryland office can be reached at 410-685-6567.