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From left: Suzan DelBene, Mark Takano, Becca Balint, and Ritchie Torres
The money will go to reelecting members who are running in challenging congressional districts.
Last Tuesday, Equality PAC, cochaired by gay Reps. Ritchie Torres of New York and Mark Takano of California, gave a significant financial boost to U.S. House Democratic frontliners, raising over $260,000 at a crucial fundraising event. The funds are earmarked to support Democrats in vulnerable seats as they gear up for the November election, where their victories will be vital in maintaining control of the House of Representatives.
The event, hosted at Agua 301, a trendy Mexican restaurant in Washington, D.C., saw participation from influential Democratic lawmakers, including Takano, Vermont U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, Florida U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Washington U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. They gathered with Torres and frontline Democrats to rally support for some of the party’s most vulnerable members.
Jeff Larivee, campaign finance director for Ritchie Torres, expressed pride in the fundraising success. “We are proud to share that Ritchie Torres, cochair of Equality PAC, helped raise over $260,000 for House Democratic frontliners this November as part of an Equality PAC event on September 10,” Larivee said in a statement to The Advocate. “This impressive haul puts Ritchie at over $18.4 million raised for Equality PAC and LGBTQ candidates for Congress.”
The term “frontliners” refers to 29 Democrats representing some of the nation’s most competitive and closely watched districts. These members, many of whom won in districts that supported former President Donald Trump in 2020 or have historically leaned conservative, are essential to maintaining a Democratic majority in the House. Republican challengers heavily target these seats, making fundraising efforts like this one critical to ensuring these members have the resources they need to win.
Among the key frontliners are LGBTQ+ members of Congress, including Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids, and Illinois Rep. Eric Sorensen. Craig, who flipped her district from red to blue in 2018, is the first outlesbian member of Congress from Minnesota and a strong advocate for working families. Davids, who made history as one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress and the first openly LGBTQ+ Native American in the House, represents Kansas’s Third District. Sorensen, a former meteorologist from Illinois, became the first out gay person to represent his state in Congress, championing climate action and economic growth.
Equality PAC’s contributions have played a significant role in elevating these candidates, adding necessary resources to compete in their districts. “We are the only identity political action committee in Congress that contributes to every frontline and every red-to-blue candidate. We need to build a pro-equality Congress,” Torres emphasized during an interview with The Advocate. Equality PAC has raised over $18 million this election cycle to support candidates committed to equality, he pointed out.
Torres also highlighted several key races where Equality PAC’s early involvement has made a difference, including the campaigns of state Rep. Julie Johnson in Texas and state Sen. Sarah McBride in Delaware. Johnson could become the first LGBTQ+ member of Congress from the South, while McBride if elected, would become the first transgender member of Congress. “Equality PAC has made a difference for candidates like Emily Randall in Washington and Evan Low in California,” Torres added.
In addition to the $260,000 raised for frontliners, Equality PAC contributed $50,000 to the DCCC, further supporting Democratic efforts to maintain control of the House.
As the 2024 election cycle heats up, frontliners like Craig, Davids, and Sorensen are critical to the Democratic Party’s strategy. These members, representing diverse districts and bringing LGBTQ+ representation to the forefront, are in tight races where Republican challengers are eager to flip their seats.
As Torres noted, “The future of our equality, the future of our democracy, the future of reproductive liberty lies in the hands of Vice President Kamala Harris and all the frontline and red-to-blue candidates.”
