Equality Maryland Issues Second Round of General Assembly Endorsements

On Tuesday, Equality Maryland PAC, the political action committee for Maryland's major LGBT-rights organization, released a second round of endorsements, 21, for General Assembly candidates, making a total of 57 endorsements: 19 for the Maryland Senate and 38 for the House of Delegates.

Olszewski.pngThe PAC, which works to elect pro-LGBT lawmakers, based its endorsements on candidates' votes and responses to questionnaires that expressed support for the Civil Marriage Protection Act, which legalized marriage equality and was eventually upheld by Maryland voters via referendum in 2012, as well as the Fairness for All Marylanders Act, a bill that would expand nondiscrimination protections to transgender people, which is slated for a Feb. 4 hearing before the Senate Judicial Proceediings Committee. All of the endorsed lawmakers are Democrats. Equality Maryland's PAC previously endorsed the ticket of Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and his running mate, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, in their bid for governor and lieutenant governor.

"Equality Maryland's PAC is proud to endorse an additional 21 incumbents who have stood with Equality Maryland and our work for LGBT equality during their tenure in the General Assembly," Equality Maryland PAC Chair Tim Williams said in a statement. "We will work hard to ensure they are re-elected."

The list of additional endorsees in the Senate includes:

Sen. Ronald Young (D-Frederick Co.)

Del. John Olszewski, Jr. (D-Baltimore Co.) - to replace retiring Sen. Norman Stone

Sen. Edward Kasemeyer (D-Baltimore, Howard counties)

Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard Co.)

Sen. Paul Pinsky (D-Prince George's Co.)

Sen. Nancy King (D-Montgomery Co.)

Sen. Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City)

The newest endorsees for the House of Delegates are:

Del. Eric Bromwell (D-Baltimore Co.)

Del. Dan Morhaim (D-Baltimore Co.)

Del. Frank Turner (D-Howard Co.)

Del. Anne Kaiser (D-Montgomery Co.)

Del. Ariana Kelly (D-Montgomery Co.)

Del. Al Carr (D-Montgomery Co.)

Del. Jim Gilchrist (D-Montgomery Co.)

Del. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery Co.)

Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D-Anne Arundel, Prince George's counties)

Del. Alonzo Washington (D-Prince George's Co.)

Del. Maggie McIntosh (D-Baltimore City)

Del. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City)

Del. Keiffer Mitchell (D-Baltimore City)

Del. Michael Summers (D-Prince George's Co.)