FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 7, 2012
Paul Guequierre
Landslide Victory for LGBT Equality Up andDown the Ballot
From marriage campaigns to reelectingPresident Obama and other priorities, LGBT Americans were the big winners onelection night
WASHINGTON –Today the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual,and transgender civil rights organization, reacted to the overwhelmingelectoral victories for LGBT people, calling it a milestone year with a clearmandate for equality moving forward. For the past two years, HRC has beenlaying the groundwork for our largest mobilization effort ever to ensure 2012is a turning point year for LGBT equality. HRC and our energeticsupporters have raised and contributed more than $20 million to reelectPresident Obama and to advance marriage equality and other electoral prioritiesthis cycle. On marriage equality, HRC invested $8.4 million this cycle toinclude $5.5 million in the four marriage ballot measure states.
HRCPresident Chad Griffin released the following statement:
“When thehistory books are written, 2012 will be remembered as the year when LGBTAmericans won decisively at the ballot box. The dreams of millions offair-minded Americans were realized as discrimination crumbled and equalityprevailed.”
MarriageWins at Ballot Box for First Time
“For thefirst time, voters in Maine and Maryland voted to allow loving couples to makelifelong commitments through marriage – forever taking away the right-wingtalking point that marriage equality couldn’t win on the ballot. Noamount of well-funded lies about our families could deceive Mainers andMarylanders. We await results in Minnesota and Washington State butremain optimistic that they will be successful as well. The momentum formarriage equality has never been stronger, and with poll after poll showing agrowing majority of support, we have a renewed certainty that we will win thisfight.
Pro-MarriageEquality President Wins Reelection
“As millionsof Americans celebrate President Obama’s reelection tonight, the LGBT communityis particularly elated to return the most pro-equality President ever to asecond term. There is no doubt that we will continue to see tremendousstrides forward like we’ve made during his first four years with ourAlly-in-Chief back in office. While some pundits predicted thePresident’s support for marriage equality would hinder his campaign, we knowthe opposite is true. His historic and heartfelt declaration that allloving and committed couples should be able to marry further motivated millionsof voters and sparked conversations that led to wins for marriage at the ballotbox. His win is further proof of the marriage equality movement’smomentum.
FirstOpenly Gay Senator
“Anothermilestone was celebrated as Senator-elect Tammy Baldwin has again earned herspot in the history books. As the first openly gay person elected to the UnitedStates Senate, she is a role model for LGBT youth and all young women acrossthe country. With a relentless focus on the issues that matter most to Wisconsinvoters – economic security, access to healthcare, and fairness and inclusionfor all – Senator-elect Baldwin earned the respect of all her constituents, gayand straight.
Pickupof Fair-Minded and Openly LGB Members of Congress
“For LGBTyouth who aspire to public service, we have shattered a glass by sending TammyBaldwin to the Senate and increasing the number openly LGB members ofCongress. In the Senate we have at least three new marriage equalitysupporters who proudly declared their support for marriage for gay and lesbiancouples on the campaign trail.
VotersRetain Iowa Justice Who Decided for Marriage
“It appearsthat Iowans have made a strong statement for judicial independence and refusedto let politics get in the way of judges doing their duty to uphold the law.Anti-gay groups trying to exact political retribution on judges should learntheir lesson. Marriage equality remains the law of the land in Iowa andjudges like Justice Wiggins will continue to do their jobs.
LGBTVoters Flex Political Muscle, Break for President
“Ourcommunity has flexed our political muscle with exit polls showing an increasefrom 4 percent of the vote in 2008 to 5 percent this year. And thePresident gained many more supporters among lesbian, gay and bisexual voters –jumping seven points to garner 77% of our vote.
MovingForward
“Tonight wecelebrate, but tomorrow morning we get up and get back to work so that thevictories we hail tonight are felt everywhere across this great country. Too many people are denied the ability to marry. Too many people go totheir jobs without workplace protections. Too many young people go to bedat night and stare at the ceiling, sleeplessly wondering what awaits them thenext day at school or at church or in their own home. Thanks to all thehard work in achieving tonight’s victories, we finally have momentum on ourside and we will not rest until the promise of equal justice under the law isrealized for every single person living in every single corner of this vastcountry.”
TheHuman Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working toachieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring andengaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizensand realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
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