CHICAGO - Equality Illinois, the state's civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Illinoisans, today announced endorsements for the November 3, 2020 general election.
"Equality Illinois is excited to announce our endorsements today as we continue to make our state fairer and more just for LGBTQ people," said Justin DeJong, Board Chair of Equality Illinois, a 501( c )( 4 ) organization. "In recent years, Illinois has been a beacon of equality and inclusion but we have so much more work to do. These endorsed candidates will continue to advance our progress as we keep fighting for equality and inclusion for all LGBTQ Illinoisans."
Of the 99 endorsed candidates, Equality Illinois endorsed 60 incumbent state legislators.
"We especially thank our legislative incumbents for advancing justice for LGBTQ people," said DeJong. "Last year, the Illinois General Assembly passed the Inclusive Curriculum Law, which ensures the stories of LGBTQ people will be included in history taught in public schools across Illinois. LGBTQ youth will now see themselves reflected in history, and Illinois will continue to convey that a diverse group of people have contributed to society."
Legislators also supported key bills to ensure single-occupancy restrooms are designated as gender neutral, to affirm LGBTQ elders and older adults living with HIV, to prohibit discrimination in jury service, and to allow for individuals to select a non-binary designation on state driver's licenses.
Equality Illinois, a 501( c )( 4 ) organization, engages in the advocacy and electoral processes to defend and advance full equality, justice, and fairness for LGBTQ individuals and their families in Illinois. Endorsements are based on responses on candidate questionnaires and voting records. Below is the list of Equality Illinois' endorsements today for the November 3, 2020 general election. More candidates may be added at a later date.
( i ) denotes an incumbent
Illinois House of Representatives
HD 1 — Aaron Ortiz ( i )
HD 2 — Theresa Mah ( i )
HD 3 — Eva Dina Delgado ( i )
HD 4 — Delia Ramirez ( i )
HD 5 — Lamont Robinson ( i )
HD 7 — Emanuel Chris Welch ( i )
HD 9 — Lakesia Collins ( i )
HD 10 — Jawaharial Omar Williams ( i )
HD 11 — Ann Williams ( i )
HD 12 - Margaret Croke
HD 13 — Greg Harris ( i )
HD 14 — Kelly Cassidy ( i )
HD 15 — John D'Amico ( i )
HD 16 — Denyse Wang Stoneback
HD 17 — Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz ( i )
HD 18 — Robyn Gabel ( i )
HD 19 — Lindsey LaPointe ( i )
HD 20 — Michelle Darbro
HD 22 — Michael J. Madigan ( i )
HD 23 — Michael J. Zalewski ( i )
HD 32 — Andre Thapedi ( i )
HD 35 — Frances Ann Hurley ( i )
HD 36 — Kelly Burke ( i )
HD 37 — Michele Fadeley
HD 39 — Will Guzzardi ( i )
HD 40 — Jaime Andrade ( i )
HD 41 — Janet Yang Rohr
HD 42 — Ken Mejia-Beal
HD 43 — Anna Moeller ( i )
HD 44 — Fred Crespo ( i )
HD 45 — Diane Pappas ( i )
HD 46 — Deb Conroy ( i )
HD 47 — Jennifer Zordani
HD 48 — Terra Costa Howard ( i )
HD 49 — Maura Hirschauer
HD 50 — Kate Monteleone
HD 51 — Mary Edly-Allen ( i )
HD 52 — Marci Suelzer
HD 53 — Mark Walker ( i )
HD 54 — Maggie Trevor
HD 56 — Michelle Mussman ( i )
HD 57 — Jonathan Carroll ( i )
HD 58 — Bob Morgan ( i )
HD 59 — Daniel Didech ( i )
HD 60 — Rita Mayfield ( i )
HD 61 — Joyce Mason ( i )
HD 62 — Sam Yingling ( i )
HD 63 — Brian Sager
HD 64 — Leslie Armstrong-McLeod
HD 65 — Martha Paschke
HD 66 — Suzanne Ness
HD 67 — Maurice West ( i )
HD 68 — Dave Vella
HD 70 — Paul Stoddard
HD 71 — Joan Padilla
HD 72 — Mike Halpin ( i )
HD 77 — Kathleen Willis ( i )
HD 79 — Charlene Eads
HD 81 — Anne Stava-Murray ( i )
HD 83 — Barbara Hernandez ( i )
HD 84 — Stephanie Kifowit ( i )
HD 85 — Dagmara "Dee" Avelar
HD 88 — Karla Bailey-Smith
HD 90 — Seth Wiggins
HD 91 — Josh Grys
HD 93 — Scott Stoll
HD 94 — Angel Smith
HD 95 — Chase Wilhelm
HD 100 — Brandon Adams
HD 102 — Mitchell Esslinger
HD 104 — Cynthia Cunningham
HD 105 — Chemberly Cummings
HD 108 — Kacie Weicherding
HD 110 — Kody Czerwonka
HD 112 — Katie Stuart ( i )
HD 113 — Jay Hoffman ( i )
HD 114 — LaToya Greenwood ( i )
Illinois Senate
SD 1 — Antonio Munoz ( i )
SD 4 — Kimberly Lightford ( i )
SD 6 — Sara Feigenholtz ( i )
SD 7 — Heather Steans ( i )
SD 10 — Rob Martwick ( i )
SD 11 — Celina Villanueva ( i )
SD 13 — Robert Peters ( i )
SD 16 — Jacqueline Collins ( i )
SD 19 — Michael Hastings ( i )
SD 22 — Cristina Castro ( i )
SD 25 — Karina Villa
SD 28 — Laura Murphy ( i )
SD 31 — Melinda Bush ( i )
SD 34 — Steve Stadelman ( i )
SD 40 — Patrick Joyce ( i )
SD 43 — John Connor
SD 46 — Dave Koehler ( i )
SD 49 — Meg Loughran Cappel
SD 52 — State Sen. Scott Bennett
SD 55 — Cynthia Ann Given
Cook County
State's Attorney — Kim Foxx ( i )
McLean County
County Board District 7 — Val Laymon
County Board District 9 — Jackie Gunderson
About Equality Illinois
At Equality Illinois we envision a fair and unified Illinois where everyone is treated equally with dignity and respect and where all people live freely regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. We work hard to promote legislation to protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning ( LGBTQ ) individuals; maintain the visibility of LGBTQ issues; oppose legislation which seeks to limit the civil rights of the LGBTQ community; and expand statewide grassroots support.
