The 2024 general election includes numerous races and candidates with varying track records regarding the LGBTQ+ community. While the presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump has garnered the most attention, other federal and statewide positions are also being contested, including those with great influence over policies and rulings affecting LGBTQ+ people. PGN has put together a voter’s guide detailing candidates’ statements and actions — or lack thereof — involving the LGBTQ+ community.
The races included in this guide are U.S. President, U.S. Senate (Pa. and N.J), U.S. House (Pa. and Del.), and Pennsylvania Attorney General and Auditor General. PGN put together this information through independent research of the candidates’ LGBTQ+ track records.
President
Kamala Harris (D)
Vice President Kamala Harris has supported the LGBTQ+ community throughout her career in elected office. As District Attorney of San Francisco, she supported marriage equality and performed same-sex weddings, and she created a Hate Crimes Unit to investigate crimes against LGBTQ+ students. When she became Attorney General of California, she cosponsored Assembly Bill 2501, which banned the “gay-panic” defense in courtrooms. As a U.S. senator, Harris co-sponsored the Equality Act, the Fair and Equal Housing Act, and the Student Non-Discrimination Act which all provided protections for LGBTQ+ people. She also introduced legislation that sought to improve access to PrEP by mandating all public and private health insurers to cover it. She received a perfect score on the HRC Congressional Scorecard that rated senators on their support for LGBTQ+ issues. During her time as vice president, Harris has continually affirmed her support for pro-LGBTQ+ policies and spoken out against LGBTQ+ book bans and “Don’t Say Gay” laws. She has also met with local, national and international LGBTQ+ advocates and has been a cornerstone in the Biden administration’s support of the community.
Donald Trump (R)
Among the anti-LGBTQ+ acts performed or supported by Donald Trump during his time as president were banning transgender people from serving in the military, allowing federal contractors to fire LGBTQ+ workers based on sexual orientation and gender identity, removing protection for LGBTQ+ people in healthcare programs, and forcing U.S. embassies around the world to remove pride flags. As president, Trump appointed numerous anti-LGBTQ+ individuals to positions in the executive and judicial branch. On the last four Supreme Court cases involving the LGBTQ+ community, justices appointed by Trump voted against the LGBTQ+ community 8 out of 9 times. In addition, the Trump administration submitted amicus briefs to the Supreme Court that supported anti-LGBTQ+ policies. During the 2024 presidential campaign, the Trump campaign released numerous commercials designed to stoke fear and division against the LGBTQ+ community.
U.S. Senate, Pennsylvania
Bob Casey (D)
During the 117th Congress (2021-2023), Sen. Bob Casey voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act, voted to confirm openly LGBTQ+ cabinet members Pete Buttigieg and Rachel Levine, and cosponsored the Equality Act, PrEP Access and Coverage Act, and the International Human Rights Defense Act. Other pro-LGBTQ+ bills and positions Casey has supported since his election in 2006 include repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, authoring the Hate Crime Prevention Act, and cosponsoring the Student Non-Discrimination Act and Early Treatment for HIV Act. Casey has been among the most consistent supporters of LGBTQ+ rights during his 18 years in the Senate.
Dave McCormick (R)
Dave McCormick’s campaign website does not mention the LGBTQ+ community. He used his closing statement in an October 2024 Senate Debate to denounce trans women in sports. During his 2022 Senate campaign, he accused the “extreme left” of “attacking American history, culture, and values,” and he promised to “stand up against the wokeness taking over our schools, big businesses, and the media.” In 2013, McCormick co-signed an amicus brief in support of the legalization of same-sex marriage, and he reiterated his support for same-sex marriage in 2024.
Pa. Attorney General
Eugene Depasquale (D)
Eugene Depasquale’s campaign website lists support of the LGBTQ+ community among its focused issues, stating the candidate will “promote equality in law enforcement, healthcare, and education” among other areas. In a September 2024 interview with Philadelphia Gay News, Depasquale touted his LGBTQ+ record dating back to his time in the state house where he cosponsored the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, reiterated his early support of marriage equality, and said an initial priority as Attorney General would be to ensure better protections for LGBTQ+ students.
Dave Sunday (R)
Dave Sunday’s campaign website does not mention the LGBTQ+ community. In multiple interviews with media outlets, Sunday omitted LGBTQ+ rights when asked about his top issues. He ignored PGN’s requests for an interview.
Pa. Auditor General
Malcolm Kenyatta (D)
State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, the first openly gay person of color elected to the state house, has been a strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights before and during his time in Harrisburg. In addition to his perfect voting record on LGBTQ+ issues, Kenyatta has consistently advocated for the LGBTQ+ community, including sponsoring bills for marriage equality and Data for LGBTQ Lives, which would have required Pennsylvania agencies to include questions about LGBTQ+ identity on forms and documents. Kenyatta has also worked in LGBTQ+ organizations including Liberty City Democratic Club and received awards for his work championing LGBTQ+ causes.
Timothy Defoor (R)
As Auditor General, Tim Defoor disbanded the Pennsylvania School Audit Bureau, which revealed information on book bans, school policies and student discrimination among other facets. His campaign website does not mention the LGBTQ+ community.
U.S. House Pa. District 1
Ashley Ehasz (D)
Ashley Ehasz’s campaign website specifically mentions the LGBTQ+ community, including her opposition to the ban on trans people in the military. At a Central Bucks School Board meeting, she called out the school board for their anti-LGBTQ+ policies, stating “this board is fixated on enacting policies that erase the history and experiences of people of color and LGBTQ+ people.” She has also highlighted local LGBTQ+ community members on her social media accounts during Pride Month.
Brian Fitzpatrick (R)
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick scored poorly on the 2023 HRC Congressional Scorecard, refusing to cosponsor bills such as the Equality Act, Do No Harm Act and voting to overturn a Department of Education rule clarifying nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students. In 2021, he voted in favor of the Equality Act. His campaign website has a specific section on LGBTQ issues, where he has called for more effective hate crime reporting.
U.S. House Pa. District 2
Brendan Boyle (D)
Rep. Brendan Boyle has scored a perfect score on every HRC Congressional Scorecard since taking office in 2015 and voted for bills such as the Equality Act, Do No Harm Act and Safe Schools Improvement Act every time they come up for a vote. Boyle has also joined bipartisan efforts to secure equal accreditation policies for LGBTQ foreign service officers, and he has attended events held by the local LGBTQ+ community.
Aaron Bashir (R)
Aaron Bashir’s campaign website does not mention the LGBTQ+ community. He has been endorsed by the Family Research Council, an anti-LGBTQ+ organization, and in an interview with the Epoch Times, he accused the “far radical left” of “indoctrination in our school system” and “destroying our kids with LGBTQ propaganda.”
U.S. House Pa. District 3
Dwight Evans (D)
Since taking office in 2016, Rep. Dwight Evans has consistently supported LGBTQ+ issues, scoring 100 out of 100 on each HRC Congressional Scorecard and supporting legislation including the Equality Act, Fight Book Bans Act, International Human Rights Defense Act and Safe Schools Improvement Act. During his time as a member of the Pa. House, Evans cosponsored the first bill to legalize same-sex civil unions in 2010, as well as various iterations of the Fairness Act.
U.S. House Pa. District 4
Madeleine Dean (D)
Rep. Madeleine Dean has consistently scored perfectly on each HRC Congressional Scorecard since taking office and supported the Equality Act, LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act, and various nondiscrimination bills. Dean’s campaign website lists empowering the LGBTQ+ community as one of her major issues. She was selected to serve on the Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee in the House Financial Services Committee, which deals with equality in hiring and resource distribution for business. She cosponsored HB 300 as a member of the Pa. House.
David Winkler (R)
David Winkler’s campaign website does not list support of the LGBTQ+ community on his key issues. He has spoken out against Pride festivals and LGBTQ+ flag raisings on social media, calling them disrespectful and “anti American behavior.”
U.S. House Pa. District 5
Mary Gay Scanlon (D)
Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon has been a steady supporter of the LGBTQ+ community during her time in Congress. She has scored 100 out of 100 on the HRC Congressional Scorecard, joined the House Equality Caucus where she served as Vice-Chair, and spoken in support of the trans community and gender-affirming care during congressional hearings. As an attorney, Scanlon worked on marriage equality research projects and offered legal representation to help trans people change their names.
Alfe Goodwin (R)
Alfe Goodwin’s campaign website does not mention the LGBTQ+ community. She has posted on social media in opposition to gender-affirming healthcare, stating “This is why you should send me to #Congress to #protect our #children from this dangerously bad #policy and #decisionmaking.”
U.S. House Pa. District 7
Susan Wild (D)
Rep. Susan Wild has voted consistently in support of LGBTQ+ issues while in Congress and received a perfect score on the HRC Congressional Scorecard throughout her time holding elected office. Her campaign site has a section dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues, including her support of passing the Equality Act into law and LGBTQ+ members serving in the military.
Ryan Mackenzie (R)
As a member of the Pa. House, Ryan Mackenzie voted against the Fairness Act, which promotes LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. His campaign website for congress does not mention the LGBTQ+ community.
U.S. House Delaware At-Large
Sarah McBride (D)
McBride, who became the first trans person elected to a state Senate, has worked in support of LGBTQ+ issues her whole career. She has served as a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, on the board of directors for Equality Delaware and as the Special Assistant for LGBT Progress at the Center for American Progress. In 2013, she helped lead the successful effort to add gender identity and expression to Delaware’s state nondiscrimination and hate-crimes laws. As a state senator, she sponsored a bill eliminating the “gay panic” defense and resolutions recognizing Pride Month and the Stonewall Rebellion.
James Whalen (R)
Whalen’s campaign website and Facebook page do not mention LGBTQ+ issues.
U.S. Senate, New Jersey
Andy Kim (D)
Kim has consistently voted in favor of LGBTQ+ issues during his time as a Congressman. He has received perfect scores on the HRC Congressional Scorecard, including for cosponsoring the Equality Act and Do No Harm Act, as well as voting in favor of nondiscrimination protections and gender affirming care. He told Out in Jersey that LGBTQ+ rights are “the new civil rights challenge of this generation,” and that the Republican party has tried to “prevent people from being themselves.” His campaign site has a dedicated section to LGBTQ+ issues.
Curtis Bashaw (R)
Bashaw, who is openly gay, does not mention LGBTQ+ issues on his campaign site, but stated that “individuals deserve to make decisions about their lifestyle and healthcare in their own homes.” He told Out in Jersey that he supports equal rights for LGBTQ+ people, and he also said that parents should be informed if their child comes out as transgender at school.
