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Election

Pro-LGBTQ+ Agenda PAC Makes Its Mark With Political Victories

Malcolm Kenyatta
Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

Pennsylvania's Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta sought to "beat beatable bigots," and he says the group helped do just that.

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Cwnewser

Tuesday's election marked a successful round of political activism for the pro-LGBTQ+ Agenda PAC.

In the Pennsylvania governor and U.S. Senate races as well as the competitive California 41st Congressional District, the organization spent nearly $150,000 on paid communications, according to an Agenda PAC press release. In addition to connected TV, YouTube, Facebook, and Snapchat, plus billboards, the group used the popular gay dating app Grindr to reach voters.

With the win of Democrat Josh Shapiro over Republican Doug Mastriano to secure the Pennsylvania governorship and John Fetterman besting television personality Mehmet Oz, Agenda PAC swept all races in the state it invested in.

"Agenda PAC started because our basic freedoms are under attack and knew we needed to fight back. That's exactly what we did," said Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, Agenda PAC's chairperson. "The stakes were too high to sit this election out."

Kenyatta said that Agenda PAC became a force to be reckoned with as the country geared up for the 2022 midterm election.

"We've just started beating the beatable bigots, and we aren't slowing down," Kenyatta said.

In the two months since the group's inception, Agenda PAC targeted Pennsylvania races for governor and U.S. Senate. With a six-figure targeted digital ad buy on social media, the group launched attacks on Mehmet Oz and Doug Mastriano, the Republican nominees for U.S. senator and governor respectively.

Agenda PAC hit Mastriano and Oz with targeted ads on Grindr, reminding users of the election's stakes.

In the last week leading up to Election Day, Agenda PAC, Equality California, and LGBTQ Victory Fund teamed up against Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert for his anti-LGBTQ+ record. Calvert ran against Democrat Will Rollins, an out gay former federal prosecutor.

"We're proud of what we accomplished in just over two months," said Ted Bordelon, Agenda PAC's executive director. He added that issues ranging from reproductive autonomy to LGBTQ+ rights were on the ballot this year and will continue to be critical electoral issues in the future.

"With so much on the line, including the future of LGBTQ+ rights, delivering in this election is a beacon of hope for our ability to build a sustainable movement in future election cycles."

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Christopher Wiggins

Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).