For Immediate Release Contact:  Angela Hale, Equality Texas  angela@equalitytexas.org

Texas Equity PAC Endorses Democrat Eddie Rodriguez for Special Election to Replace Kirk Watson for Senate District 14

Austin, TX (June 30, 2020) – Today, the Texas Equity PAC, the political action committee of Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization solely dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ Texans, endorsed Texas House Member Eddie Rodriguez for the Special Senate Election Race for Senate District 14 to replace retiring Austin Senator Kirk Watson.

Rep. Rodriguez was first elected to the State Legislature in 2002. He was re-elected in November 2018 to his ninth term as the Representative for District 51, serving Central, East and Southeast Austin, and Southeast Travis County. He is the Dean, or senior member, of the Travis County delegation.

Rep. Rodriguez served on the House Committees on Calendars, State Affairs and Ways & Means in the 86th Legislative Session. He is co-founder and Chair of the Texas House Farm-to-Table Caucus, Policy Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and an active member of the House Women’s Caucus, the House Democratic Caucus, the House LGBTQ Caucus and the Legislative Study Group.

Representative Rodriguez earned an A+ rating from Equality Texas in the most recent legislative session. He has co-authored numerous supportive bills in his 17+ years in the House, including co-authoring the bill to ban conversion therapy during the 2019 Session. Behind the scenes, as a member of the Calendars Committee, Rep. Rodriguez has put innumerable holds on bad bills over the past several sessions and has been one of our most important and powerful procedural allies in killing bad legislation. As a member of the House Committee on State Affairs, he joined advocates in fighting against SB 6 (bathroom bill) and HB 3859 (foster care bill) in the 85th Legislative Session. He also fought against HB 3172 (Chick-fil-A) as a member of both the State Affairs and Calendars Committees in the 86th Legislative Session.

“Representative Eddie Rodriguez has a long history of publicly supporting LGBTQ+ issues since his first election to the Texas House of Representatives in 2002. Because of this long and dedicated history, the Texas Equity PAC endorses Rep. Rodriguez. In 2003 and 2005, he worked to advance protections against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity (HB 810 – 78R, HB 1526 – 79R). He is committed to lead an effort with his colleagues in the House and Senate to pass comprehensive protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in housing, employment and public accommodations in the 87th Legislative Session,” said Ricardo Martinez, CEO of Texas Equity PAC.

“Equality is the Democratic value that means the most to me. I strive to live up to and practice this value in all areas of my life. I have worked to foster an inclusive legislative office and campaign throughout my career, and I will continue to do so if I am elected. I am running to serve as the next state senator for District 14 because I believe that my experience, relationships, values, and legislative skills make me the best candidate. I will take a collaborative approach to leadership. In order to be successful as the next state senator for District 14, I will work closely together with a diverse set of advocates and stakeholders who can help me to listen, learn, and become a more effective legislator,” said Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, candidate for Senate District 14.

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The Texas Equity PAC helps elect pro-equality state & local candidates. It is the political action committee of Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization working to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.