GLAA General Election 2020 Press Release

PLEASE VISIT OUR ELECTION PAGE TO REVIEW CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 18, 2020
Contact: Bobbi Strang
410-422-9313

GLAA held its ratings meeting by video conference on September 29. A key to available ratings points is provided below.

GLAA, in evaluating record, believes that who donors are matters. When GLAA is aware of concerning donors, such as donors who are known anti-LGBT advocates, at the time of rating any given candidate, it will and should influence the evaluation of the candidates record.

GLAA Ethics Disclaimer: GLAA believes that elected officials are stewards of the public trust and therefore must hold themselves accountable to the highest ethical standards. GLAA, therefore, will not issue any rating for candidates who, in their capacity as elected officials, were expelled from any elected post, or resigned, for ethics violations that include, but are not limited to, conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and malfeasance.

The following are explanations of the individual ratings for D.C. Council primary candidates. Note: Ratings marked with an asterisk (*) indicate a candidate who did not return GLAA’s questionnaire and was therefore rated solely on their known record on GLAA’s issues or past GLAA ratings.

At-Large

Democratic incumbent Robert White (+10) agrees with GLAA on all the issues and offers impressive substance in his questionnaire responses. He has been an ally on the Council and in his past work for Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and Attorney General Karl Racine. He has spoken out against anti-LGBTQ hate violence and co-authored legislation requiring collection of LGBTQ health data. He co-introduced a bill to decriminalize sex work, a bill to modernize language in the D.C. Official Code to reflect gender equity and inclusivity, a bill prohibiting anti-LGBTQ panic defenses, and a bill requiring care for LGBTQ seniors and seniors with HIV. He was actively engaged on our community’s budget request.

Independent candidate Christina Henderson (+10) agrees with GLAA on all issues and offered detailed, substantive responses to the questionnaire. Her record of advocacy includes working on the LGBTQ Cultural Competency Amendment Act of 2015 (passed and became law effective April 2016); legislation to require the Department of Health to include questions regarding the sexual orientation and gender identity of respondents in the Department’s annual report; and the Government Travel and Human Rights Act of 2016, which banned government travel to jurisdictions that affirmatively sanction or require discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Impressive as this list is, it is only a portion of the many LGBT and intersectional issues on which she has worked.

Independent candidate Monica Palacio (+9.5) agrees with GLAA on most issues and provided detailed, substantive responses to the questionnaire. In her response on the decriminalization of sex work, GLAA determined that her agreement with our position was too heavily caveated to consider as unequivocal support of decriminalization. She received high marks for her outstanding record on protecting and promoting the rights of all District residents in her tenure at the Office of Human Rights.

Independent candidate Ed Lazere (+8) agrees with GLAA on all issues and provided detailed, substantive responses to the questionnaire. The candidate had extensive outreach to LGBT constituencies as part of his campaign and was the first candidate to publish an LGBT specific platform. Additionally, he has a established history of policy advocacy on issues that have disparate impact on the LGBT community.

Independent candidate Franklin Garcia (+8) agrees with GLAA on all issues and provided detailed, substantive responses to the questionnaire. The candidate has served as DC’s shadow representative and advocated for DC statehood. He also helped bring attention to Bella Evangelista’s case.

Independent candidate Alexander Padro (+7) has a strong record, agrees with us on most issues, and provides good substance. GLAA disagrees with his stance on full legalization because it creates more barriers and marginalization for people and groups that already experience far too much of both.

Independent candidate Mario Cristaldo (+6.5) agrees with GLAA on all issues and provided detailed, substantive responses to the questionnaire. He has a track record of service and advocacy on issues of senior housing, counseling, and recreational activities.

Independent candidate Chander Jayaraman (+5) agrees with GLAA on most issues, but offers little substance in his responses to the questionnaire. He has an excellent record on intersectional issues. It is unfortunate that he falsely and extensively conflates decriminalization of sex work with human trafficking, despite the fact that such views are entirely unsubstantiated by research. In fact, his most in-depth answer on policy includes reciting a series of “I think-isms” on how sex work decriminalization will encourage human trafficking.

Independent candidate Will Merrifield (+4.5) agrees with GLAA on all issues and provided little detail in his responses to the questionnaire. This candidate has innovative ideas on affordable housing. He works at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless which is at the forefront of efforts to end homelessness.

Libertarian Joe Bishop-Henchman (+2.5) agrees with GLAA on all issues, but offered very little substance. The candidate did not provide any record of working on LGBT issues, nor could GLAA verify any record of advocacy for LGBT issues.

Independent candidate Vincent Orange (+2.5*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Markus Batchelor (+1*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Claudia Barragan (+1*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Statehood-Green candidate Ann C. Wilcox (+0.5*) did not respond to GLAA’s questionnaire. Her record (drawn from past evaluations) includes providing legal representation to GetEqual and Occupy D.C. protesters.

Independent candidate Marcus Goodwin (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Calvin H. Gurley (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Michelangelo “Doctor Mic” Scruggs (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Keith Silver (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Jeanne Lewis (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Eric M. Rogers (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Chander Jayaraman (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate A’Shia Howard (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Independent candidate Kathy Henderson (-1*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Republican candidate Marya Pickering (-3) is non-responsive or opposed to GLAA in most of her questionnaire responses. She opposes legislation prohibiting anti-LGBTQ panic defenses. She opposes legislation revising the rioting statute to protect First Amendment expression. In opposing sex work decriminalization she cites the Family Research Council, which is designated an anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. She is non-responsive on legislation to modernize language in the D.C. Official Code to reflect gender equity and inclusivity. She showed no record on LGBTQ issues.

Ward 2

Independent candidate Randy Downs (+10) agrees with GLAA on all issues and offered detailed, substantive responses to the questionnaire. He has been engaged with the community since he arrived in the District in 2011. He was instrumental in forming the ANC Rainbow Caucus which has established itself as strong advocates for the LGBTQ community.

Democratic candidate Brooke Pinto (+7.5) mostly agrees with GLAA on the issues and provides good substance in her questionnaire responses. Regarding sex work decriminalization, she supports decriminalizing the selling of sex but not the purchasing of sex. Her record in support of LGBTQ issues includes her work for DC Attorney General Karl Racine, specifically writing a bill allowing the D.C. Attorney General to bring civil actions for bias-related crimes. She organized a Pride Month panel at OAG in 2019 featuring Charlotte Clymer and Rayceen Pendarvis. She has fought the Trump administration through lawsuits and advocacy.

Independent candidate Martin Miguel Fernandez (+7) agrees with GLAA on all issues and offered detailed, substantive responses to the questionnaire. He has a limited record on LGBT issues, but his background as a medical anthropologist leads GLAA to conclude that he has a solid grasp of our policy positions and the reasoning behind the positions.

Green candidate Peter Bolton 4) agrees with GLAA on all issues, but provided limited substance and occasionally strayed off topic in his responses. Candidate provided no details of his record on LGBTQ issues and GLAA could not confirm any record on LGBTQ issues.

Ward 4

Democratic candidate Janeese Lewis George (+6.5) agrees with GLAA on all issues and shows some substance in her questionnaire responses. Her record on LGBTQ issues includes support of sex work decriminalization and running an LGBTQ-inclusive campaign.

Independent candidate Perry Red (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Ward 7

Democratic incumbent Vincent C. Gray (+8) agrees with GLAA on most issues but opposes us on sex work decriminalization. He offers good substance in his questionnaire responses, but not as impressively as in prior races. His pro-LGBTQ record as a cabinet officer, Council chair, mayor, and councilmember is extensive. As mayor he launched the LGBTQ Youth Task Force, the Bullying Prevention Task Force, the District’s first transgender employment initiative under Project Empowerment, the Transgender and Gender Identity Respect Campaign, and ended the denial of healthcare coverage to transgender residents. As Council chair in 2009 he shepherded marriage equality legislation through the Council. More recently he co-introduced a bill revising the rioting statute to protect First Amendment expression and a bill requiring care for LGBTQ seniors and seniors with HIV. He co-sponsored a bill prohibiting anti-LGBTQ panic defenses. He signed a March 2017 letter from councilmembers to the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee opposing reauthorization and expansion of the Congressionally-imposed school vouchers program.

Ward 8

Democratic incumbent Trayon White (+4.5) agrees with GLAA on most issues, but opposes us on sex work decriminalization and falsely conflates it with human trafficking. He provides little substance in his questionnaire responses. As a member of the Council he co-introduced a bill requiring collection of LGBTQ health data and a bill requiring care for LGBTQ seniors and seniors with HIV, co-sponsored a bill providing for gender nonbinary status to be reflected on ID cards, and voted for a bill prohibiting conversion therapy on people under a conservator or guardian. He signed a March 2017 letter from councilmembers to the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee opposing reauthorization and expansion of the Congressionally imposed school vouchers program. On the downside, in 2018 he caused a national scandal with anti-Semitic comments derived from Minister Louis Farrakhan, whose Nation of Islam is designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Independent candidate Frederick Hill (+2.5) agrees with GLAA on most issues and offered scant detail in his responses to the questionnaire. The candidate provided no details of his record on advancing LGBT issues nor could GLAA verify any record of accomplishment.

Independent candidate Christopher Cole (0*) did not return a questionnaire to GLAA.

Republican candidate Nate Derenge (-2) opposes GLAA on every issue. He provides no substance in his questionnaire responses and showed no record on LGBTQ issues.
All candidates were provided a copy of “Building on Victory,” GLAA’s 2020 policy brief on LGBT issues in Washington, D.C.

Ratings should not be interpreted as endorsements. GLAA does not endorse candidates in partisan elections. GLAA has rated candidates in every D.C. primary and general election since 1971.

Founded in 1971, GLAA of Washington, D.C. is an all-volunteer, non-partisan, non-profit political organization that defends the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the Nation’s Capital. We are the nation’s oldest continuously active LGBTQ civil rights organization.

Key to Available Ratings Points