The FFRF Action Fund is celebrating several key victories by candidates jointly endorsed with the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund in 2025. These wins represent a clear demonstration that strategic support for local candidates who support the separation of state and church and LGBTQ+ rights pays off.
The winning candidates are:
- Sean Beck, Ada (Ohio) Village Council, at-large
- Carl Bryan, Kenosha Unified School District School Board (Wis.)
- Becky Corran, Las Cruces (N.M.) City Council, District 5
- Michael Fenton, Springfield (Mass.) City Council, Ward 2
- Alena Hansen, Crystal Lake District 47 School Board (Ill.)
- Elana Jacobs, Skokie (Ill.) School District 73.5 Board of Education
- JD Mazuera Arias, Charlotte (N.C.) City Council, District 5
- Lori Silverman, Falls Church (Va.) City School Board
All of these candidates participated in the FFRF Action Fund’s Express Endorsement Process, designed to fast-track viable pro-secular-governance candidates whom the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund has already endorsed.
“Local government is where constitutional principles are either upheld or undermined,” said Annie Laurie Gaylor, president of the FFRF Action Fund. “These candidates made a clear commitment to keeping religion out of government and standing up for LGBTQ+ rights. Our endorsement helped draw attention to that dedication, and voters responded. We are delighted to see these leaders take office.”
“We know representation matters, especially in local office,” said Evan Low, president and CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. “When candidates stand up for LGBTQ+ rights, they strengthen our democracy. These victories show what is possible when we work together to elect leaders who reflect our values.”
Highlights from the campaign trail:
Lori Silverman for Falls Church (Va.) City School Board, carried both the FFRF Action Fund and Victory Fund endorsements on her mailers to help her constituents clearly understand her positions and values.
Becky Corran for Las Cruces (N.M.) City Council, District 5, faced an encroaching Christian nationalism presence in the city, which has led to attempted book bans, zoning disputes and other concerns. Becky’s opponent stated that if elected, his conservative, Republican values will guide his every vote.
Carl Bryan, Kenosha Unified School District School Board (Wis.), defeated Moms for Liberty-backed candidates. Kenosha is one of the most contested areas in a swing state. Carl campaigned on his values as an out atheist and member of the LGBTQ+ community. We hope his victory will pay future dividends in the 2026 mid-term elections and beyond.
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund works to achieve and sustain equality by increasing the number of out LGBTQ+ elected officials at all levels of government while ensuring they reflect the diversity of those they serve. Since 1991, Victory Fund has helped thousands of LGBTQ+ candidates win local, state and federal elections. victoryfund.org