Virginia Partisans: The Voice of LGBT Democrats in Virginia

This year, Republican Governor Bob McDonnell reversed Democratic Governor Tim Kaine's executive order protecting state employees from discrimination.  And in a related move, the new Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sent letters to all Virginia Colleges and Universities calling on them to remove their non-discrimination policies that protect GLBT staff and students.  This is three years after Republicans in the General Assembly passed the most restrictive ban on same-sex unions in the country as an amendment to the Virginia Constitution.  Republicans don't just vote against GLBT equality, they actively take GLBT rights away and under McDonnell and Cuccinelli, have escalated the attack on our basic protections.

Time after time Democrats prove they are the only party that can be trusted to fight for GLBT protections.  So as a community, we must invest in electing Democrats, and that means time and money and votes.

2010 and 2011 will be critical elections for GLBT Virginians.  This year, Virginia's elected Democrats in Congress will be facing challenges after standing up for expanding hate crimes legislation.  In the coming legislative sessions they will consider employment non-discrimination legislation (ENDA), repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and undoing the "Defense of Marriage Act."  It is critical that we help keep these individuals in Congress so that we can continue to have friends of the GLBT community representing Virginia in Congress.  Next year, all the seats in the Virginia General Assembly will be on the ballot.  We must maintain control of the Senate, to prevent a right-wing governor from further curbing the rights of GLBT Virginians, and take back the House so that we can tip the scales in favor of equality.