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Gay congressional candidates excel in 2Q fundraising

Baldwin rakes in $2.2 million; Tisei bests Dem incumbent

Published

14 years ago

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Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin, gay news, Washington Blade

Gay and lesbian candidates running for Congress posted strong fundraising numbers in the second quarter in a year when more out contenders than ever are making bids for high office.

The Washington Blade examined the second quarter campaign finance reports for the eight candidates seeking office in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate that were endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. The second quarter numbers represent fundraising for the candidates starting in April through June and were posted recently to the Federal Election Commission website.

The eight endorsed candidates are among 13 identified openly LGBT candidates pursuing seats in the House and Senate throughout the country — an unprecedented number for any election cycle.

U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

In the most high-profile race, lesbian U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin has been doing well in fundraising in her bid to become the first openly gay U.S. senator. Baldwin took in $2.2 million during the second quarter. That means she has raised $6.7 million this cycle while spending $3.96 million and having $3.5 million in cash on hand.

Technically, she didn’t come out on top in comparison to one of her Republican opponents. Eric Hovde, a hedge fund manager who recently entered the race, posted $2,494,211 for the second quarter. But Hovde, whose net worth has been estimated at $58 million, has spent millions on his own campaign and spent $3.5 million to make his name more well known. Others in the race came out behind: former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson raised $834,000, former congressman and gubernatorial candidate Mark Neumann raised $733,450 and State Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald raised $41,033.

The race between Baldwin and her potential Republican opponents appears tight. According to data published last month from Public Policy Polling, she’s in a dead heat with Novde, who leads her 45-44, and Thompson, whom she ties 45-45. Baldwin leads Neumann by 45-41 and Fitzgerald 46-42.

Perhaps the most surprising numbers come from Richard Tisei, a gay Republican former state legislator in Massachusetts, who raised $571,371 in the second quarter in his bid to represent Massachusetts’ 6th congressional district. That means he outraised Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.), who raised $421,944 — even though he’s an incumbent Democrat running in a heavily “blue” state.

In a statement, Tisei, who outraised Tierney in the first quarter of 2012, thanked donors.

“I am consistently impressed with the strong support I am receiving from individual donors in support of my candidacy,” Tisei said. “In my wildest dreams, I wouldn’t have imagined that so many people would be supporting our message of change with their pocketbooks — particularly in these very tough economic times.”

The fundraising numbers for the second quarter mean Tisei has raised $1,237,000 thus far this cycle, has spent $435,410 and has $802,000 in cash on hand. Comparatively, Tierney has raised $1,325,650 this cycle, has spent $820,875 and has $693,000 in cash on hand.

On Wednesday, the D.C. newspaper Roll Call shifted the status of the race from “leans Democrat” to “toss-up.” The race is becoming competitive, in part, because Tierney, an eight-term U.S House member, has been under scrutiny because of controversy involving his family. Tierney’s brother-in-law, Daniel Eremian, was convicted of federal racketeering charges related to his operation of an illegal offshore casino, and Tierney’s wife was sent to jail for tax fraud related to this operation.

Tierney has a strong pro-LGBT record in the U.S. House: he voted in favor of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, hate crimes protections legislation and a version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in addition to voting against the Federal Marriage Amendment.

U.S. House candidate Mark Pocan (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Similarly strong numbers were posted in the second quarter by Mark Pocan, a gay Wisconsin Assembly member who’s seeking to represent Wisconsin’s 2nd congressional district. Baldwin is vacating the seat to run for Senate.

But Pocan is in a different situation because he still needs to win the Democratic primary, which is set for Aug. 14, and other Democrats are seeking the nomination to represent the party in the general election. Pocan raised $250,000 in the second quarter, besting his most serious competitor, Kelda Helen Roys, another state legislator in Wisconsin, who raised $130,833.

In a statement, Pocan said he accepted contributions from more than 3,300 donors over the course of his campaign, and 80 percent of donations came in increments of $100 or less.

“I am truly grateful for the outpouring of support from the District 2 community,” Pocan said. “I’ve met and talked to voters from Beloit to Baraboo, and it’s clear my message of progressive values with real results resonates with people.”

The second quarter numbers mean Pocan has raised $734,550 over the course of his campaign, has spent $280,635 and has $454,000 in cash on hand. Meanwhile, Roys has raised $392,393, spent $130,833 and has $190,120 in cash on hand.

Not all gay candidates are faring as well. Sean Patrick Maloney, didn’t raise as much as incumbent Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-N.Y.) in his bid to represent New York’s 18th congressional district. Maloney, who in June won the Democratic primary, raised $319,000 in the second quarter, while Hayworth took in $459,000.

Tim Persico, campaign manager for Maloney, said special interests were the reason his boss didn’t raise as much as the incumbent Republican in the past few months, but said he’s still in good position to win.

“Sean Patrick Maloney doesn’t have the same profitable relationship with PACs and corporate lobbyists that brought Congresswoman Hayworth over a million dollars, but the outpouring of support from friends, family and even complete strangers has put him in a position to win,” Persico said.

Support from the LGBT community is coming from both sides in this race. Hayworth, who has a gay son, Will Hayworth, has been seen as a friend to the LGBT community since she took office at the start of last year. For example, she was among five Republicans to vote against a recent measure to reaffirm the Defense of Marriage Act when it came to the floor last month.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

One of the gay U.S. House members seeking re-election — and who’s also facing a serious challenge in the primary and general election — also came out on top in fundraising last quarter. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who last year became the newest openly gay member of Congress, raised $302,000 in the second quarter.

But his opponents aren’t too far behind. Anthony Gemma, a businessman, is Cicilline’s main challenger in the Democratic primary, which is set for Sept. 11, and raised $243,000 in the second quarter. The Republican in the race, Brendan Doherty, the Rhode Island State Police’s former superintendent, raised $221,711.

Cicilline is facing a complicated road to re-election because the city that he governed as mayor prior to winning election to the U.S. House, Providence, R.I., is facing financial problems. A report commissioned by the City Council last year blamed his administration for a lack of transparency and for making a series of moves – like tapping into Providence’s rainy-day fund – without councilors’ approval. The lawmaker apologized in April, saying he should have been more forthright about the financial condition of the city.

Polls are showing Cicilline could be in danger of losing the Democratic nomination. A poll from local TV affiliate WPRI published in May of 302 likely Democratic primary voters had Cicilline leading with 40 percent and Gemma following close behind at 36 percent — and 20 percent still undecided.

So far this cycle, Cicilline has raised $1,570,486, spent $771,723 and has $836,325 in cash on hand. At the same time, Doherty has raised $990,882, spent $321,532 and has $669,350 in cash on hand, while Gemma has raised $990,882, spent $87,071 and has $343,040 in cash on hand.

The bisexual lawmaker seeking to represent Arizona’s 9th congressional district is also coming out on top of a crowded field of a half dozen candidates seeking to win this newly created seat. Kyrsten Sinema, who’s bisexual and a state legislator, raised $367,554 in the second quarter. That’s above her most serious competitor in the primary set for Aug. 28, Andrei Cherny, who’s a former state party chair endorsed by former President Clinton. Cherny took in $301,895 during the same period.

In total this cycle, Sinema has raised $626,288, spent $267,492 and has $358,796 in cash in hand. In comparison, Cherny has raised $732,973, spent $263,913 and has $469,060 in cash on hand.

But the gay candidate didn’t come out on top in California’s 41st congressional district. Mark Takano, a school teacher and member of the Riverside Community College District’s Board of Trustees, raised $256,965, while his opponent, Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione, raised $337,667. Takano is seeking to become the first openly gay person of color to serve in the U.S. House in this newly created Democratic-leaning district.

So far this cycle, Takano has raised $758,156, spent $517,138 and has $241,093 in cash on hand. Meanwhile, Tavaglione has raised $790,027, spent $338,186 and has $451,991 in cash on hand.

Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), who if re-elected would become the most senior openly gay member of the U.S. House, raised $59,503 in the second quarter. Those numbers put him at $848,000 in total for fundraising this cycle and leave him with $347,000 in cash on hand. An incumbent running in a safe Democratic seat, he’s not expected to face serious competition in his bid for re-election.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to Rep. Nan Hayworth as Nan Hunter. The name of Tim Persico was also misspelled. The Blade regrets the error.

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National

BREAKING NEWS: Shots fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Shooter reportedly opened fire inside hotel

Published

2 days ago

on

April 25, 2026

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(Washington Blade photo by Joe Reberkenny)

Four loud bangs were heard in the International Ballroom of the Washington Hilton during the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.

According to the Associated Press, a shooter opened fire inside the hotel outside the ballroom.

Attendees could hear four loud bangs as people started to duck and take cover. During the chaos sounds of salad and glasses were dropped as hotel employees, and guests ducked for cover.

The head table — which included President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, first lady Melania Trump, and White House Correspondents Association President Weijia Jiang — were rushed off stage.

“The U.S. Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, is investigating a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement. “The president and the First Lady are safe along all protects. One individual is in custody. The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation.”

Trump held a press conference at the White House after he left the hotel.

“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons and he was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service,” said Trump.

Trump said the shooter is from California. He also said an officer was shot, but said his bullet proof vest “saved” him.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, interim D.C. police chief Jeffrey Carroll, U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro, and other officials held their own press conference at the hotel.

Carroll said the gunman who has been identified as Cole Tomas Allen was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and “multiple” knives when he charged a Secret Service checkpoint in a hotel lobby. Carroll also told reporters that law enforcement “exchanged gunfire with that individual.”

Both he and Bowser said the gunman appeared to act alone.

“We are so very thankful to members of law enforcement who did their jobs tonight and made sure all guests were safe,” said Bowser. “Nobody else was involved.”

The Washington Blade will update this story as details become more available.

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State Department

State Department implements anti-trans bathroom policy

Memo notes directive corresponds with White House executive order

Published

4 days ago

on

April 23, 2026

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(Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)

The State Department on April 20 announced employees cannot use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.

The Daily Signal, a conservative news website, reported the State Department announced the new policy in a memo titled “Updates Regarding Biological Sex and Intimate Spaces, Including Restrooms.”

The State Department has not responded to the Washington Blade’s request for comment on the directive.

“The administration affirms that there are two sexes — male and female — and that federal facilities should operate on this objective and longstanding basis to ensure consistency, privacy, and safety in shared spaces,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggot told the Daily Signal. “In line with President Trump’s executive order this provides clear, uniform guidance to the department by grounding policy in biological sex as determined at birth.”

President Donald Trump shortly after he took office in January 2025 issued an executive order that directed the federal government to only recognize two genders: male and female. The sweeping directive also ordered federal government agencies to “effectuate this policy by taking appropriate action to ensure that intimate spaces designated for women, girls, or females (or for men, boys, or males) are designated by sex and not identity.”

The Daily Signal notes the new State Department policy “does not prohibit single-occupancy restrooms.”

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National

I’m telling the scared little girl I once was it’s okay to feel free

This week is Lesbian Visibility Week

Published

5 days ago

on

April 23, 2026

By

(Design by Soph Holland)

Uncloseted Media published this article on April 23.

By SOPHIE HOLLAND | At 13 years old, I remember looking in the mirror in my Toronto bathroom and thinking, “Yeah, I’m a lesbian.” At the time, I thought it was a dirty word. Thinking back, it could be because the first time I heard it was when a family member said, “I don’t know what a lesbian is, they are like aliens.”

And although I walked around in camouflage Crocs with a rainbow My Little Pony charm, plaid knee-length shorts and a shark tooth necklace (yes, these are all, in my opinion, stereotypically lesbian apparel!), I didn’t feel like I fit the mold. The longer I thought about it, the worse I felt, so I buried my feelings deep inside.

Now I am 25, and I have been out since I was 22. Three years ago, I never could have imagined that I’d be working for a queer news publication and celebrating Lesbian Visibility Week, an annual event meant to honor and uplift lesbian perspectives and highlight the hardships our community faces. To me, LVW is so important because, frankly, it has been an absolute shit show getting here, to a place where I feel love and joy most days.

I think back to the frustration of constantly being asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?” Of watching princess movies and seeing a broken girl only find herself when her prince charming arrives. I remember listening to music that was always about heterosexual relationships. I remember feeling left out in high school when, one by one, my friends got boyfriends.

I tried the boyfriend, and I tried really hard for it to work at a large detriment to my wellbeing. I brainwashed myself into thinking I was probably bisexual, which I told my closest friends around 16 and unsuccessfully told my parents at the same age. I was probably subconsciously using this as a litmus test of their acceptance and to soothe the anxiety I felt around my sexuality.

Learning to love who I am did not only come from me unraveling my internalized lesbophobia and dissecting the oppressive societal messages of heteronormativity. It came from meeting an awesome community of lesbians and queers. I found people who understood my worldview and who showed me the ropes. I no longer had to stutter over concepts like lesbian loneliness or my frustration with misogynistic straight men.

They all just got it.

Without this community, I am not sure if I could be as warm and confident in myself as I am today.

And while I still experience homophobia, like being spat on while walking with an ex in downtown Toronto or having a stranger yell in my face “Are you fucking lesbians?” in Kensington Market, the joy and love still outweighs the nasty.

So, as the sentimental dyke that I have become, I decided to ask a set of lesbians in my orbit — including my friends as well as Uncloseted staffers, board members and followers — if they would share a little bit about what makes them love being a lesbian. And now, I can share it with all of you. Here they are. Happy LVW!

Timi Sotire

Falling in love with her was a reset. I felt like a kid again, hopeful about the future. We’ve had to overcome many obstacles to be together, but I’d choose her in every lifetime. I was sick with a long-term health condition when we met, and hanging out with Sophia really helped me with my recovery after my surgery.

Bella Sayegh

Being a lesbian is one of the most beautiful things in the world. To be authentically yourself in resistance and joy is so special within the lesbian community.

Parker Wales

When I met Liv, I finally understood why almost every song is about love.

Gillian Kilgour

There is no connection quite as perfect as between lesbians, no one sees me like my lesbians do.

Chyna Price

There’s many things I love about being a lesbian. But here are my top three:

  1. There’s just a deeper understanding when it comes to being loved by another woman.
  2. The next one would be the sense of community, especially being a POC masculine-presenting lesbian. I don’t feel like I’m cosplaying as someone else like I felt like I was doing before I came out.
  3. There’s so much history going back to the 1800s on how we found and fought for our love. That fight makes me proud because it shows me … that we’ve [found] ways to express our love even when it was misunderstood, illegal and deemed as madness.

Hope Pisoni

Before I knew I was a lesbian, romantic relationships seemed suffocating — it felt like everyone would expect me to act my part in the meticulous performance that is heterosexuality. But meeting my spouse and discovering our identities together showed me just how freeing it could be to love without a script to follow.

Leital Molad

It was the joy of watching the New York Sirens defeat the Toronto Sceptres at our first professional women’s hockey game — surrounded by hundreds (maybe thousands?) of cheering lesbians.

Angela Earl

I spent years building a life that looked right. But I never felt settled, and eventually I started asking what would actually make me happy. Coming out was about more than who I love, it was letting go of everything I was told to be. The last few years have felt like coming home to a life that had been waiting for me.

Tali Bray

What I love about being a lesbian is what I love about being in love … the wonder and joy of “oh, this is what it’s supposed to feel like.” I love moving through the world with women.

Izzy Stokes

I didn’t fall in love until I realized that queerness was an option. My queer friends have helped me see so much more than I grew up seeing. I’m so proud of us, and I’m so grateful for my lesbian community.

Nandika Chatterjee

When I met my fiancée is when I started to feel most like myself. That meant loving myself for who I am and embracing my identity as a lesbian. I felt free in a way I have never before. That’s the long and short of it.

Liz Lucking

The love and joy of being a lesbian is getting to live the life I dreamed of but never thought I would get to have!

Reflections

As I read these beautiful entries, it’s not lost on me that we’re still living in a world where lesbians are more likely to struggle with maternity problems, fetishization, and compulsory heterosexuality — not to mention the intersectional pressures of racism from both inside and outside the queer community. That’s part of why, according to a 2024 survey, 22 percent of LGBTQ women have attempted suicide, and 66 percent have sought treatment for trauma.

So if you are a lesbian who isn’t out or doesn’t feel safe, I hope you read this and can glean some hope from these messages. So when you look in the mirror, you know that it’s okay to release the weight — which can feel so heavy — of a heteronormative world.

We still have a long fight until all lesbians can feel safe to be themselves, but this is a community that does not back away from the tough, from the joy, from being loud and from all the other things that it takes to start a small revolution.

Hell yeah, lesbians! Here’s to you.

*I am signing off with my cat on my lap and a pride flag over my head <3.

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