LOS ANGELES — Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, announced endorsements for 33 incumbent members of Congress running for re-election in 2022 on Monday. The organization had previously announced early incumbent endorsements for U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and U.S. Representatives John Garamendi, Josh Harder, Katie Porter and Mike Levin in 2021 — after the four House incumbents were added to the NRCC’s target list.
Equality California extends pro forma endorsements to incumbent members of Congress in California running for reelection who have earned a 100% pro-equality rating on the organization’s legislative scorecards in both of the last two years and who meet Equality California’s code of ethics, standards of conduct and other applicable endorsement criteria. (See below for additional details.)
The organization released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang on Monday announcing the endorsements:
“LGBTQ+ Californians are lucky to be represented in Washington by so many incredible pro-equality champions. Together with California’s congressional delegation, Equality California is working to pass the Equality Act, protect abortion access and reproductive freedom, advance racial justice, enact commonsense gun safety laws, reform our broken immigration system and create a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. We are proud to support these fantastic leaders in their campaigns for reelection this year.”
Equality California announced new 2022 endorsements for the following members of Congress:
Congressional District 2: Jared Huffman
Congressional District 5: Mike Thompson
Congressional District 7: Doris Matsui
Congressional District 10: Mark DeSaulnier
Congressional District 11: Nancy Pelosi
Congressional District 14: Eric Swalwell
Congressional District 16: Anna Eshoo
Congressional District 18: Zoe Lofgren
Congressional District 19: Jimmy Panetta
Congressional District 24: Salud Carbajal
Congressional District 25: Raul Ruiz
Congressional District 28: Judy Chu
Congressional District 29: Tony Cárdenas
Congressional District 31: Grace Napolitano
Congressional District 33: Pete Aguilar
Congressional District 34: Jimmy Gomez
Congressional District 35: Norma Torres
Congressional District 36: Ted Lieu
Congressional District 39: Mark Takano
Congressional District 43: Maxine Waters
Congressional District 46: Lou Correa
Congressional District 50: Scott Peters
Congressional District 52: Juan Vargas
Candidates shown in bold are openly LGBTQ+.
Additional Details:
Candidates who took office in 2021 are evaluated based on last year’s score only. Equality California’s Endorsement Process and Guidelines are available online at eqca.org/elections.
For a full list of Equality California’s 2022 endorsements to date, visit eqca.org/elections.
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
