American Unity Fund Endorses 6 Pro-Freedom Republicans
WASHINGTON (July 19) - American Unity Fund, a conservative LGBTQ advocacy organization, announces endorsements in six U.S. House races where pro-LGBTQ Republican members of Congress are up for reelection in November.
"These six members provide a crucial voice in Congress for LGBTQ Americans, promoting freedom in all aspects of public life, from military service to the marketplace," said American Unity Fund president Margaret Hoover. "The defeat of the anti-transgender Hartzler Amendment, which would have prohibited the military from providing critical medical care to transgender troops, was a crucial victory this Congress, and it would not have been possible without the leadership and determined efforts of these members.
"American Unity Fund is proud to support these bold leaders in their reelection efforts and looks forward to continuing to engage them in this important work in the next Congress," Hoover said.
The six endorsed incumbents are:
Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-06) was first elected in 2008 and has established himself as a fighter on the issues who can come out of tough reelection challenges stronger than before. He's become a consistent defender of LGBTQ freedom, co-sponsoring the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and supporting the LGBTQ-inclusive Violence Against Women Act. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won in his district by 9 points, but Coffman edged out the Democrat by the same margin.
Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) has been one of American Unity's most consistent
allies in Congress since he was first elected in 2014. He was an early GOP supporter of the freedom to marry and co-sponsored the ENDA in the 113th Congress. Last cycle, Curbelo defeated disgraced former Democratic Congressman Joe Garcia by almost 12 points while Hillary Clinton carried the district by more than 16.
Rep. John Faso (NY-19) has spent his career in public service. He was a member of the N.Y. Assembly from 1986-2002 and served as minority leader for four years. In 1994, he voted in favor of the state's earliest gay-rights legislation. Since being elected to Congress in 2016, he has been a reliable ally for AUF and provided a crucial vote against the anti-LGBTQ Hartzler amendment. He has lived in the district since 1983.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) entered politics after an impressive career fighting political corruption and international terrorism as an FBI special agent. During the Iraq War, he was embedded with U.S. Special Forces. He was raised in Bucks County and earned his law degree at Penn State. In Congress, he has been a champion for LGBTQ freedom and individual rights and stood with American Unity Fund for many critical votes.
Rep. John Katko (NY-24) won reelection in 2016 with 61 percent of the vote while Hillary Clinton carried the district 49 percent to 45 percent. Katko is a thoughtful and well-liked member of Congress, and he helped lead the charge to defeat the Hartzler Amendment.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21) is the youngest member of Congress, and she has successfully cultivated an independent brand for herself. She was an important voice in the effort to defeat the Hartzler Amendment. In 2016, she won reelection by 35 points while Trump carried the seat by 14 points.
