About Virginia Partisans

The Virginia Partisans is a state-wide, motivated Democratic political activist group for the GLBT community and our allies; our mission is to seek out, evaluate, endorse and support political candidates for office in Virginia who support our community's values and priorities.

Our History:

The Virginia Partisans grew from an informal group that organized a Gay community fundraiser in 1990 for Congressman Jim Moran’s first election to Congress. The group continued to meet infrequently and informally until the committee formally organized with the adoption of bylaws and election of its first executive board in 1992.

The committee has sponsored Democratic primary/caucus campaign forums for 1992 presidential candidates, 1994 Virginia US Senate candidates and 1995 Arlington County Board candidates. Virginia Partisans endorsements and campaign activities were extremely effective in mobilizing Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Virginia voters on behalf of Jay Fisette’s 1993 upset victory for an Arlington County Board nomination and Senator Chuck Robb’s defeat of Oliver North. Robb thanked Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic Club by name in his victory speech.

Virginia Partisans has coordinated the joint election campaigns of openly gay delegates to state and congressional district conventions and organized the first caucuses of gay community delegates.

The committee has been successful at raising money for allies and in 1994 formed a political action committee as a vehicle to make direct contributions to pro-gay Democrats and to fund gay community GOTV campaigns. The PAC has raised more than $20,000 and has made contributions to federal, state and local level Virginia candidates across the Commonwealth.