Posts by Cindy Bray

He is a strong supporter of the LGBT community, stating: “I support full equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. As a member of Congress, I would support legislation that bans job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. I believe the institution of marriage should be available to committed, same-sex couples, and I would work to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. I believe equality is not complete until it reaches every aspect of our society, including adoption and immigration sponsorship.”

Gauhan is pro-Equality and supports efforts to protect victims of domestic violence. In 2009, Lawrence co-wrote and directed the festival short movie, “Circles of Life”, about the prominent signs of domestic violence. He spoke in September to the attendees of the Equality Breakfast where the LGBT Democrats honored the 4 couples who were fighting for Marriage Equality in Virginia’s courts.

Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott issued the following statement on the decision by a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upholding the district court’s decision in Bostic v. Rainey, which ruled Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional: “I applaud the Fourth Circuit for upholding the lower court’s decision in Bostic v. Rainey. This decision is based on sound legal reasoning consistent with a growing list of decisions by courts all over the country, beginning with the Supreme Court’s 1967 decision in Loving v. Virginia. The Loving Court unanimously struck down bans on interracial marriage stating that marriage is one of the ‘basic civil rights of man.’ And last year, the Supreme Court in U.S. v. Windsor continued this legal reasoning when it struck down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which I opposed in Congress. Today’s decision is a critical step forward for marriage equality in the Commonwealth.”

This article is a background article about Suzanne Patrick who is seeking to represent the 2nd Congressional District of Virginia. Patrick responded to emails with a brief statement: “In my family, equality and justice came before all else. That’s why I believe that people should be able to marry who they love without legal or social discrimination. ENDA is a good start to making sure that equality is promoted in the workplace, but the issue is far from over. In Congress, I will work to ensure that all people – regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexual identity – have equal opportunities.”

Norm Mosher is running against Rob Wittman in the 1st Congressional District. He is a long time resident of Irvington and has served as the chair of the Lancaster County Democratic Committee and as a Virginia representative to the Democratic National Convention in Boston. He served on the Irvington Town Council for six years. Prior to settling in Irvington, he retired from the US Navy with the rank of Captain and he is the founder of several small businesses.