Washington, DC – Today, Equality PAC announced its endorsement of three LGBTQ candidates for the 2026 midterm elections. Equality PAC is backing veteran Cait Conley in New York’s 17th Congressional District, where she is challenging Republican incumbent Mike Lawler; New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher in New York’s 12th District, where he is running to succeed Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler, who will retire at the end of the 119th Congress; and Illinois State Senator Mike Simmons in Illinois’s 9th District, where he is seeking to succeed Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, who is also retiring at the end of the 119th Congress.
“Equality PAC is proud to endorse Cait Conley, Erik Bottcher, and Mike Simmons—leaders who understand how deeply families are feeling the strain of rising costs and who are committed to tackling the challenges that keep families up at night,” said Equality PAC Co-Chair Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA). “These candidates are focused on driving down the cost of health care and prescription drugs, strengthening access to affordable housing, and ensuring that everyday essentials are within reach for working families. And while they continue to stand firmly for LGBTQ equality, their vision stretches far beyond any single issue: they are fighting to make sure that every household can build stability, security, and opportunity.”
“Our mission has always been to support leaders who put people first,” Co-Chair Takano continued. “By investing early in candidates like Cait, Erik, and Mike, we are helping elevate voices that understand the pressures families face and who bring both compassion and practical solutions to Congress. These endorsements reflect our belief that real progress comes from electing public servants who will work relentlessly to lower costs, expand access to quality care, and protect fairness and dignity for all. Across the country, Equality PAC is committed to backing candidates who are ready to deliver meaningful relief and a stronger future for everyday Americans.”
“I am honored to have the support of Equality PAC in this campaign to flip NY-17,” said veteran Cait Conley. “As someone who joined the military serving under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, I experienced firsthand how discrimination doesn’t just hurt individuals — it weakens our country. In Congress, I’ll fight everyday to protect LGBTQ+ rights, strengthen equality under the law, and ensure every person can live with dignity. Equality is what our country has strived toward for more than 250 years, and I will never stop fighting for every American.”
Cait Conley is a fourth-generation Hudson Valley native and the daughter of a postal worker and a construction worker. She is a decorated combat veteran and national security expert who has spent her life answering the call to serve. That call began on 9/11, when, as a junior in high school, she watched the Twin Towers fall. The next day, she started the process for applying to West Point — earning acceptance and becoming the first in her family to graduate college and then going on later to attend graduate programs at Harvard and MIT. Cait served 16 years as an active duty Army officer, deploying six times to take down the world’s most dangerous terrorists, and later led counterterrorism efforts on the National Security Council and at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Throughout her career, Cait has been called upon to solve the toughest problems and fix things that are broken. That’s why Cait is running for Congress — to fix a broken system and fight for a better future for New Yorkers.
“I’m deeply grateful for Equality PAC’s support,” said New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher. “Their leadership in building a strong, national bench of LGBTQ+ elected officials has never been more essential. As MAGA extremists once again try to erase our community and roll back our rights, I’m running for Congress to send a clear and unequivocal message: we are not going anywhere. Not today. Not ever. I will always stand up for trans Americans, defend the progress our community has fought so hard to secure, and fight for a country where every LGBTQ+ person feels safe, respected, and seen.”
Erik Bottcher is the New York City Council Member representing Manhattan’s West Side and Co-Chair of the City Council’s LGBTQIA+ Caucus. Raised in a small Adirondack town as the only gay person he knew, Erik’s commitment to public service and equality began early. He started his career as the City Council’s LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS Liaison, later serving as the statewide LGBTQ Community Liaison in the Governor’s Office, where he helped lead New York’s successful fight for marriage equality. In the City Council, Erik has been a leading voice on housing, public health, and LGBTQIA+ rights, delivering concrete wins for working families and vulnerable communities across Manhattan’s West Side.
Now running for Congress, Erik is fighting for a government that solves problems, protects hard-won rights, and ensures every community is safe, seen, and heard.
“I am so honored to be endorsed by Equality PAC,” said State Senator Mike Simmons. “As the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve in the Illinois State Senate, I’ve been proud to lead on equal rights for all, make Illinois a sanctuary state for trans youth, and fight against the fascist erasure of our community. These hard-fought victories were won with the same spirit and determination I will bring to DC, as the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent any of Chicago in Congress.”
Mike Simmons currently serves in the Illinois State Senate. He grew up in public housing in IL-09 where his family was one of the first Black families to integrate the Lincoln Square neighborhood. He’s worked on Capitol Hill with then-Senator Obama and in Chicago City Hall to preserve affordable housing, protect renters, and reduce food deserts in the city. Since being sworn into the State Senate in 2021 he’s proven to be a fierce progressive, passing nearly 50 bills into law including the Illinois Child Tax Credit giving money back to parents and the Jett Hawkins Act banning hair discrimination in schools. Now, Mike is running to take this fight to Washington where he will be the first Ethiopian-American ever to serve in Congress and the first LGBTQ American to represent any of Chicagoland in Congress.
Simmons is running in the March 17, 2026 Democratic primary for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, while Conley and Bottcher will compete in the June 23, 2026 Democratic primaries for the 17th and 12th Congressional Districts, respectively.
Equality PAC’s primary mission is simple: to elect more LGBTQ+ persons to Congress — individuals who will have a seat at the table, impact the debate, and humanize the LGBTQ community’s concerns. Beyond this goal, Equality PAC also supports strong LGBTQ community allies who will proudly and unapologetically stand with us in the fight to pass the Equality Act and equal protection under our nation’s laws. All funds that Equality PAC raises are directed to re-elect and expand our small – but mighty – LGBTQ caucus and to elect a pro-Equality Majority in the House of Representatives.
Today, Equality PAC remains the only identity PAC that financially supports every Frontline Member and Red2Blue candidate because we know that without pro-Equality majorities, the progress our community has made and the civil rights and equal protections we have fought so hard for – and are still fighting for every day – remain in jeopardy.
In the short time that Equality PAC has existed, it has played an unmatched role in making history for the LGBTQ community, electing LGBTQ leaders at the federal level such as current House Members Sharice Davis (Kansas); Ritchie Torres (New York); Becca Balint (Vermont); Robert Garcia (California); Eric Sorensen (Illinois); Angie Craig (Minnesota); and Chris Pappas (New Hampshire).
And in the most recent elections, Equality PAC notched three huge historic wins: in TX-32 with Julie Johnson who made history as the first openly LGBTQ person ever elected to Congress from Texas or the South; in WA-06 with Emily Randall who made history as the first ever queer Latina elected to Congress and the first LGBTQ Member from Washington state; and with DE state Senator Sarah McBride in DE-AL as the first trans person ever elected to Congress.
With their elections, we have DOUBLED the number of LGBTQ women in the House from 3 to 6. And for the first time ever – there is parity within the LGBTQ caucus with 6 women and 6 men serving together in the House. This is an incredible accomplishment. On top of this, 5 of the 12 LGBTQ persons serving right now in the House are persons of color. These are incredible accomplishments for our community and its representation in Congress
Equality PAC has grown exponentially since its founding by Congressman Mark Takano and former Congressman (now Governor) Jared Polis in 2014 – when we raised $32,000 from some very loyal and trusting friends who took a chance on us and the experiment we were at the time. Today, we are extraordinarily grateful to have deeply committed and generous supporters in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico – and throughout the grassroots, labor, and business communities.
In total, during the 2023-24 election cycle, we raised and spent an impressive $23.4m for Equality PAC and direct contributions for our endorsed Members and candidates, state Party funds, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), and independent expenditure efforts. As we look to the 2026 election and possible opportunities – particularly in potential open House and Senate seat races – we anticipate making even more history and growing the LGBTQ House Caucus deeper into double digits and electing at least two new LGBTQ Senators.