Human Rights Campaign Launches Grassroots Movement to Elect LGBTQ Politicians

Human Rights Campaign wants to put LGBTQ politicians in office with a new initiative to elect out politicians and allies in the 2018 midterm elections. The LGBTQ advocacy organization's campaign, called "HRC Rising," also aims to combat anti-LGBTQ policies across the country.

"We've got to accelerate the pace of progress toward full equality and secure protections for LGBTQ people in states and communities across the country," HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement. "That's why we're going on offense with the largest grassroots expansion in HRC's 37-year history."

The Human Rights Campaign plans to commit $26 million to the initiative, and will hire 20 additional full-time staff to support its vision. The grassroots movement will support LGBTQ candidates and pro-equality allies in all 50 states, but it will give particular attention to mobilizing LGBTQ voters and allies in the battleground states of Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Wins by LGBTQ and pro-equality candidates in these states could help to dismantle the conservative majority present in the United States government.

"The power and determination of the 10 million LGBTQ voters and our allies across America will only continue to grow stronger in the face of discriminatory attacks on our rights and freedoms," Griffin said.

Additional information about how to get involved with the HRC Rising Initiative can be found by visiting HRC.org.