LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Backs Five Michigan Candidates in 2026 Races
Endorsees span congressional, state and local contests, with historic firsts potentially on the line
With Michigan's Aug. 4 primary drawing closer, five candidates across the state have earned endorsements from the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, the national organization that has worked since 1991 to elect out LGBTQ+ leaders at every level of government.
Michigan's 2026 slate is a mix of fresh faces and seasoned incumbents, and it includes two congressional races where historic milestones could be made. In addition to these Victory Fund endorsed candidates, several other LGBTQ+ community members are running for office across the state. Every state representative and MIchigan Senate seat is up for grabs in 2026, as are the governorship, lieutenant governorship, attorney general, secretary of state, a U.S. Senate seat, all 13 U.S. House seats, two state supreme court seats and various local offices.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund may endorse additional Michigan candidates as the primary election on Aug. 4 and the general election on Nov. 3 draw closer.
Jeremy Moss, U.S. House of Representatives, MI-11
State Sen. Jeremy Moss of Southfield — Michigan's first openly gay state senator, currently serving as Senate President Pro Tem — is running to succeed U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who is leaving her Oakland County seat to run for U.S. Senate. Moss has championed gun safety legislation, reproductive rights and expanded ballot access during his time in Lansing. He's been endorsed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and was the first candidate to announce for the seat after Stevens declared her Senate candidacy. The Victory Fund notes that a Moss win would make him the first out LGBTQ+ member of Congress from Michigan. votejeremymoss.com
Eric Chung, U.S. House of Representatives, MI-10
A first-time candidate and Sterling Heights native, Eric Chung is running to flip the Macomb-Oakland County seat currently held by Republican Rep. John James, who is vacating it to run for governor. Chung, who is gay, is the son of Vietnamese immigrants and grew up watching his father work in the region's automotive plants. He went on to become a lawyer at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he worked on the CHIPS and Science Act — including a $325 million investment in Michigan — before the Trump administration gutted the program. This is one of 56 open U.S. House races this year in which an incumbent is not seeking re-election. The Victory Fund has also named Chung a potential first out LGBTQ+ member of Congress from Michigan. ericchungformichigan.com
Joanna Whaley, Michigan House of Representatives, District 2
A newcomer to electoral politics, Joanna Whaley is seeking the open District 2 seat, which covers the Downriver communities of Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Melvindale and parts of Southgate. A transgender bisexual woman, Whaley is a former evangelical pastor and seminary-trained theologian who survived 15 years of conversion therapy in a high-control religious setting. She's a clinical spiritual care provider in a local hospital and has spent recent years doing LGBTQ+ rights work inside religious spaces across Michigan and beyond. The Victory Fund says a Whaley win would make her the first trans woman elected to the Michigan state legislature. joannawhaley.com
Jason Morgan, Michigan House of Representatives, District 23
State Rep. Jason Morgan is currently serving his second term representing the Ann Arbor-based 23rd District. A gay man who grew up in Pinconning as the son of a commercial fisherman, Morgan was a first-generation college student who worked his way through Northern Michigan University and the University of Michigan. Before joining the legislature, he was a government teacher and the first openly LGBTQ+ chair of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners. In Lansing, he has been a consistent voice for LGBTQ+ equality, affordable housing and public education. He also serves in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and lives in Ann Arbor with his husband, Jon, who serves on Ann Arbor City Council. votejasonmorgan.com
Jennifer Cornell, Ann Arbor City Council, Ward 5
Also running for re-election is Jenn Cornell, a bisexual woman who has represented Ward 5 on Ann Arbor City Council since 2022. A nonprofit arts leader and former small business owner, Cornell co-founded one of the first all-female-owned CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting facilities in the country. She points to key safety improvements in the Miller Avenue resurfacing project — including new sidewalks and protected bike lanes — as among her proudest accomplishments from her first term. Her re-election priorities include housing access, transportation, environmental sustainability and keeping Ann Arbor welcoming to all residents. a2jenn.org
Both the congressional and state legislative primaries are set for Aug. 4, with the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. More information about the Victory Fund's 2026 endorsees can be found at victoryfund.org. Find your sample ballot at vote411.org.
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