"Leap into the Election Year" offered the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund at a Feb. 29 reception in Washington, D.C. But there wasn't much room for leaping as politicos packed a grand Victorian townhouse just off Dupont Circle.
"Honorary lesbian" Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services, praised special guest Tammy Baldwin, D—Wisc., the first lesbian to serve openly in Congress. "She's a natural leader, she's smart, she clearly knows the issues," said the Secretary.
"The Victory Fund started in 1991," executive director Brian Bond told the crowd. "Since that time we have tripled the number of openly GLBT elected officials in the country." They have done it by raising over $2.5 million for those candidates.
"It is important for us to have our own at the political table," said Bond. A priority at the congressional level is reelecting Jim Kolbe, R—Ariz., who is facing a tough battle. "I can't tell you how important it is to have somebody sitting in that Republican caucus meeting when our issues are discussed."
The other priority is reelecting freshman Baldwin, who looks to have an easier race. Bond presented her with a check "maxing out" with the maximum contribution allowed under federal campaign finance law— $10,000. [ Chicagoans are hosting a benefit for Baldwin March 26; call 847— 604— 0324 for details. ]
"When I get the honor of walking onto the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I am mindful of the fact that I go there with a little piece of every donor, of every voter, of every volunteer," said Baldwin. "It is the congregate effort of those people that got me to Congress."
She spoke of how "the naysayers, the cynics, and the keepers of the status quo said you can't, you shouldn't, you won't succeed. They said, you are too young, you're a woman, you're a lesbian, you're too progressive." Part of the challenge is "gaining the confidence that we actually can run and win," said Baldwin.
"I want to tell you that these naysayers are not always our enemies. They are often well—meaning friends." She praised the Victory Fund for their training and access to non—traditional sources of money. She called the audience of supporters the "venture capitalists, the risk takers that allow us as candidates to say, I can compete with the big guys." It helps to "level the playing field."
"We can now say that millions of people have walked into a voting booth and pulled the lever for an openly gay or lesbian candidate. That is transformative in this country."
Among the crowd were David Catania and Jim Graham, the Republican and Democratic members of the D.C. City Council, and a handful of candidates for delegates to party conventions from D.C. Maryland, and Virginia.
Julian Potter, White House liaison to the gay and lesbian community, was recently back from the campaign trail for Al Gore. The fastest quip from the west, the irrepressible Bob Hattoy, gushed about campaigning for Gore in Cleveland. Winnie Stachelberg of the Human Rights Campaign was also there.
See www.victoryfund.org, or ( 202 ) 842— 8679.
