Pride Fund Endorsed Candidate Justin Fairfax Defeats Gun Lobby and Anti-LGBTQ Republican, Jill Vogel

November 7, 2017 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- Pride Fund to End Gun Violence – America’s only national LGBTQ political organization focused solely on gun violence prevention – is extremely proud to congratulate its endorsed candidate, Justin Fairfax, on his incredible victory over Jill Vogel in Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor race.

“Justin Fairfax was the only candidate for Lieutenant Governor that ensured both the safety and equality of all Virginians,” said Jason Lindsay, Executive Director of Pride Fund to End Gun Violence. “Justin earned our endorsement because he supports universal background checks, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals. His opponent, Jill Vogel, dedicated herself to lining the pockets of gun manufacturers through her support of the gun lobby.”

“The shooting at the Pulse night club was such a dark point in our history, and unfortunately, is an all too common occurrence in our communities,” said Justin Fairfax. “Incidents such as this show the devastation that irresponsible gun policies can cause. I am proud to stand with the Pride Fund as champions for LGBTQ safety and equality as we work towards sensible gun policy reforms in Virginia and across the country.”

Pride Fund endorsed Fairfax in July. Since then, Pride Fund invested a variety of resources to persuade and mobilize voters:

Sent volunteers from Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland to do door-to-door canvassing to get out the vote.
Volunteers from around the country phone banked to get out the vote in support of Fairfax.
Released an opposition advertisement against Fairfax’s opponent, Jill Vogel, that revealed her connection to the NRA and disclosed her support for a bill that would force women seeking abortion to endure an invasive procedure.
Using our robust social media and e-mail list, Pride Fund continually highlighted Fairfax’s race with original and earned media content.

Following the Pulse massacre and most recent mass shootings in Las Vegas and Texas, we are encouraged by Justin Fairfax’s commitment to commonsense gun reforms and to continuing the march towards equality for the LGBTQ community. Pride Fund looks forward to working with Fairfax and Virginians as we reclaim our communities from the threat of gun violence.