LOS ANGELES — Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, and its Nevada-based affiliate Silver State Equality — both of which endorsed Mayor Pete Buttigieg for president of the United States in January 2020 — released the following statement from Executive Director Rick Zbur and Nevada State Director André C. Wade on Sunday, after Buttigieg announced that he has suspended his historic campaign:
“When Pete Buttigieg launched his campaign 11 months ago, no one imagined that an openly gay small-town mayor from South Bend, Indiana, could rise to the highest level of American politics. No one predicted he’d become the first openly LGBTQ+ person to win a presidential primary contest. But he did those things and so much more. And the terribly difficult decision he made tonight is exactly the kind of selfless leadership that this country needs. It clearly demonstrates that from day one through today, this campaign has been about the American people, our lives, our hopes and our dreams. “Millions of Californians and Nevadans have already cast their ballots and caucused — many for Pete. For those whom he inspired, to whom his message of bold progress and unity spoke, those votes are important. As Pete has said over and over again on the trail, voting is an act of hope. “Pete and Chasten have transformed our politics forever. They’ve given hope to millions of LGBTQ+ youth who saw themselves in this campaign. They’ve put tears of pride in the eyes of LGBTQ+ seniors, who have, over the course of their adult lives, witnessed an unimaginable arc of history. For them, this campaign meant something — and it will mean something for generations to come. “This is the most important election in our lifetimes. The stakes couldn’t be higher for LGBTQ+ people, for the diverse communities to which we belong and for our democracy. We remain committed to defeating Donald Trump and putting a pro-equality president back in the White House. When a Democratic nominee is chosen, we will do everything in our power to make sure they are elected. “Tonight, we are disappointed to see Pete’s historic candidacy come to a close. But our hearts are full and our spirits are strong. And we are forever grateful to Pete and Chasten for their contributions to our community and to this nation.”
“When Pete Buttigieg launched his campaign 11 months ago, no one imagined that an openly gay small-town mayor from South Bend, Indiana, could rise to the highest level of American politics. No one predicted he’d become the first openly LGBTQ+ person to win a presidential primary contest. But he did those things and so much more. And the terribly difficult decision he made tonight is exactly the kind of selfless leadership that this country needs. It clearly demonstrates that from day one through today, this campaign has been about the American people, our lives, our hopes and our dreams.
“Millions of Californians and Nevadans have already cast their ballots and caucused — many for Pete. For those whom he inspired, to whom his message of bold progress and unity spoke, those votes are important. As Pete has said over and over again on the trail, voting is an act of hope.
“Pete and Chasten have transformed our politics forever. They’ve given hope to millions of LGBTQ+ youth who saw themselves in this campaign. They’ve put tears of pride in the eyes of LGBTQ+ seniors, who have, over the course of their adult lives, witnessed an unimaginable arc of history. For them, this campaign meant something — and it will mean something for generations to come.
“This is the most important election in our lifetimes. The stakes couldn’t be higher for LGBTQ+ people, for the diverse communities to which we belong and for our democracy. We remain committed to defeating Donald Trump and putting a pro-equality president back in the White House. When a Democratic nominee is chosen, we will do everything in our power to make sure they are elected.
“Tonight, we are disappointed to see Pete’s historic candidacy come to a close. But our hearts are full and our spirits are strong. And we are forever grateful to Pete and Chasten for their contributions to our community and to this nation.”
With over 900,000 members, Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization and the largest LGBTQ+ organization to endorse a candidate in the 2020 presidential race. Since January, Equality California and Silver State Equality have worked to build and mobilize a broad coalition of LGBTQ+ and pro-equality voters in support of his campaign. As state director of Silver State Equality, Wade served as a key surrogate for Buttigieg in the lead-up to the Nevada Caucus, in which the campaign significantly outperformed expectations. Last week, Equality California Votes, an independent political organization aligned with the statewide civil rights organization, announced a $100,000 campaign to support Buttigieg in the Golden State ahead of Super Tuesday.
Equality California and Silver State Equality spokespeople in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Washington, DC, are available to speak with members of the media about the historic nature of Buttigieg’s candidacy and what it meant to members of the LGBTQ+ community. Please contact Samuel Garrett-Pate at (973) 476-3770 or press@eqca.org to arrange an interview.
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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
