Washington– Today, the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund announced that both organizations have endorsed Kyrsten Sinema, an experienced and passionate leader, for Arizona’s 9th Congressional District.  Sinema is a former state Senator and Representative and has been the Arizona legislature’s strongest proponent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.

"Kyrsten is an innovative leader and a passionate fighter for the values she believes in, the same values shared by most fair-minded Americans.  That's why I know she'll be an effective representative for her community in Congress, and that's why the Victory Fund is proud to support her in this campaign as it has throughout her state legislative career," said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

“Arizona has a great opportunity in Kyrsten Sinema to send a strong leader to Congress,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese.  “The tireless commitment to equality that she has brought to Arizona is desperately needed in Congress.”

"I am proud to have earned the endorsements of the Human Rights Campaign and the Victory Fund. I have worked hard to build a record of standing up for equality for every family. Families who work hard and play by the rules deserve better than the partisan bickering coming out of Washington. I'm ready to go there and fight to improve our economy for all Arizonans," said Sinema.

Sinema was the chair of Arizona Together, the group founded to block the ballot measures defining marriage in the Arizona Constitution, and in 2006 that campaign was the first and only to successfully beat such a proposal at the ballot box.  Her work in the legislature included efforts around workplace non-discrimination and adoption and she led on a bill for domestic partnership benefits for state workers.  Later she was instrumental in Gov. Napolitano’s executive order extending equal benefits and the blocking of Gov. Brewer’s attempt to rescind those benefits.

The Victory Fund has previously endorsed Sinema in her campaigns for the Arizona House and Senate.  She is also a graduate of a Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute program for mid-career LGBT public officials - the David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellows at Harvard Kennedy School.  Sinema is the 7th openly LGBT federal candidate endorsed by the Victory Fund so far in 2012.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT elected officials at all levels of government in the U.S.  Since its founding in 1991, Victory's support of out candidates has helped grow the number of LGBT officeholders in America from less than 50 to more than 500.