Post submitted by former HRC Digital Media Manager Helen Parshall

HRC is proud to have been a part of the important victory of Gina Ortiz Jones, who last night won the primary race in Texas’ 23rd congressional district primary runoff. If elected in November, Ortiz Jones will be both the first openly LGBTQ person, first Iraq War veteran and first Filipina-American to represent Texas in Congress.

From phone banks to knocking on doors, HRC staff, steering committee members and volunteers have been working with our partners to get out the vote. In her victory speech, Ortiz Jones acknowledged the tremendous work of Equality Voters involved in the race, and looked ahead to the fight to victory in November.

Congratulations Gina Ortiz Jones (@ginaortizjones) on your victory in Texas’s 23rd district primary! If elected in November, she will be the first openly gay, first Iraq War vet and first Filipina-American to represent Texas in Congress. #EqualityVoters #ElectionNight #TX23 pic.twitter.com/7smRhP7t1e

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 23, 2018

By strengthening support for champions like Ortiz Jones and other HRC-endorsed candidates including Mary González, Julie Johnson and Mark Phariss, Texans can continue to advocate for LGBTQ equality from the local to federal levels.

In 2017, HRC had more than a dozen staff on the ground in Austin, and, working with scores of volunteer organizers, led field organizing efforts around the state to defeat anti-LGBTQ bills in the Texas legislature.

HRC has worked alongside Equality Texas, ACLU of Texas, Texas Freedom Network, the Transgender Education Network of Texas and others to defeat dangerous or harmful bills that seek to undermine the rights and dignity of LGBTQ Texans. HRC continues to have full-time staff in the Lone Star State.

For more information about HRC’s work in Texas, contact Sissi Yado, HRC Texas Regional Organizer, at sissi.yado@hrc.org.