The Victory Fund Wants LGBTQ Candidates to Sweep This November

So much about the 2020 election feels like no era ever before. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic is a huge factor, in terms of both health and economics. Devastating natural disasters like the multi-state West Coast wildfires and repeated Atlantic hurricanes stress our continuing struggle with climate change.

And as of September 18th, there's a new clash over a Supreme Court seat, due to the tragic loss of equal-rights advocate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) and Senator Lindsey Graham (South Carolina), have backtracked on their 2016 pledge not to appoint a new Supreme Court justice during a presidential election year, and seem determined to confirm a justice even though 2020 ballots already are rolling in.

At the center of 2020's momentous issues is the presidential election. The battle between Democrats and Republicans remains as exhausting as ever, particularly now with COVID-19 infections ravaging the Oval Office. With days and hours ticking down, November 3 feels like D-Day, when all hope is either won or lost. There is no gray area.

"The gravity is always great when it comes to presidential elections," says Sean Meloy, senior political director at The LGBTQ Victory Fund. "We're in a very polarized society, and I do think the lines have been drawn."

Many Americans believe deeply in the vision presented by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to help unify this country. "Biden's ticket offers a way for us to actually look at our problems, acknowledge them, and try to find solutions," says Meloy.

On the other hand, others believe that ejecting Donald Trump and his Republican enablers are reason enough to vote. In one timely example of the logic to vote against Trump, rather than for Biden, Meloy underscores the recent revelation about the president's negligent pandemic response.

"It was confirmed that the president purposely misled the country about the coronavirus, which has already killed more than 210,000 Americans and affected millions of families," says Meloy. "So this election is especially vital when it comes to removing the president who has actively hurt the populace."

In the big picture, Meloy says, "I think this is a matter of just basic decency. [The president is] supposed to look after the American people, not work against them, and certainly not abandon them."

The Victory Fund also partners with the 501(c)3 nonprofit Victory Institute, which trains LGBTQ people to run for office, and supports elected and appointed officials.

"A lot of LGBTQ people have been paying attention because they've been affected by the negative actions of the Trump-Pence administration... coupled with the authoritarian and hyper-conservative policies that have been implemented," says Meloy. "Now that it's October, people are even more attentive, and LGBTQ voters, in particular, should find motivation to vote in their own best interests."

Meloy is quick to remind Americans to register to vote as soon as possible and submit their mail-in or absentee ballots without delay. "We don't want to have to think about if he wins the electoral college, because he hardly did last time. It was just 40,000 votes between three states that made Donald Trump president," says Meloy. "So, to say that one vote isn't going to matter is laughable. And we can stop it from happening again."

Kelsy Chauvin is a writer, photographer and marketing consultant based in Brooklyn, New York. She specializes in travel, feature journalism, art, theater, architecture, construction and LGBTQ interests. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @kelsycc.

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