RELEASE: GLAA rates 2022 Primary Electoral Candidates 

GLAA rates 2022 Primary Electoral Candidates 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 10, 2022

Contact: Tyrone Hanley, GLAA President 

Email: equal@glaa.org 

GLAA releases its candidate ratings for the 2022 DC primary election today. The ratings are based solely on the issues and may not be interpreted as endorsements. Founded in 1971, GLAA is an all-volunteer, non-partisan, non-profit civic organization. GLAA serves as a network of people committed to defending human rights and advocates for the advancement of LGBTQ+ people in the District of Columbia. GLAA is the nation’s oldest continuously active LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.

Ratings are based on a candidate’s response to the GLAA questionnaire, their record on issues included in GLAA’s Leave No One Behind: 2022 Election Guide, and support of the LGBTQ+ community in Washington, DC. The guide outlines key priorities for addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ residents while focusing on housing, workers’ rights, health, and policing and incarceration. 

Highlights include: 

  • Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau earned the highest rating of any candidate, with +9.5. 
  • Among Mayoral candidates, Robert White earned the top rating of +9. 
  • Among Council Chair candidates, Erin Palmer earned the top rating of +8.5. 
  • Among the Attorney General candidates, Bruce Spiva earned the top rating of +7. 
  • Among the At-Large Council candidates, Lisa Gore earned the top rating of +8.5. 
  • Among the Ward 3 Council candidates, Beau Finley earned the top rating of +7. 
  • Among the Ward 5 Council candidates, Faith Gibson Hubbard earned the top rating with +7.5. 
  • The average score among candidates who returned questionnaires is 5.9, which is a -0.8 point difference when compared to the 2020 election year, and +0.1 point difference from the 2018 election year. 

GLAA President Tyrone Hanley (he/him) states: “Following 50 years of GLAA activism in the District, the 2022 candidate ratings reflect GLAA’s decision to deepen its focus on racial and economic justice. GLAA understands racial and economic justice are LGBTQ+ issues. LGBTQ+ people, like all people, are harmed by poverty and racism. Far too often, politicians leverage the LGBTQ+ community to divide groups across race and class lines. This primarily benefits those with political and economic power. By emphasizing housing, health, safety, and workers’ rights, GLAA is choosing to prioritize issues that impact people of all sexualities, genders, races, and backgrounds, particularly those who are living on the margins. GLAA’s vision is to help forge a political movement that is built on solidarity with all people. None of us is free until all of us are free. This means we cannot leave anyone behind in our pursuit for justice and liberation.” 

Ratings are on a scale of +/-10 points: yes/no responses on questionnaire (+/-2); substance of response (+/-4); and candidate’s public record (+/-4). Candidates earned some credit for the yes/no category if they partially agreed with the question. The substance rating was based on the depth, thoughtfulness, and familiarity with the issues in their responses. When rating a candidate’s record, GLAA gave up to 3 points for a candidate’s past support of the issues included in GLAA’s policy brief and up to 1 point for a candidate’s record of LGBTQ+ community support through legislation, policy, advocacy, volunteerism or in other professional capacities. Candidates who did not respond to the questionnaire were rated zero.

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.

Candidate responses, ratings breakdowns, and the 2022 election guide can be found online at glaa.org. 

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