Obama Campaign Press Release - Prominent LGBT Supporters of Senator Edwards Announce Support for Obama

Chicago, IL - Former LGBT supporters of Senator John Edwards and other candidates are publicly announcing their support of Senator Barack Obama. Almost half of Senator Edwards' original LGBT steering committee is throwing their support behind Obama. Most of the other former members remain formally uncommitted.

Eric Stern and David Mixner are two of the twenty-eight new supporters who are working to elect Senator Obama. Stern served as a political advisor to Edwards and was the head of his LGBT steering committee. Mixner was a key advisor to the Clinton campaign in 1992. Mixner also organized some of the first LGBT fund-raisers for a U.S. presidential candidate.

"Moving from one candidate to another is never an easy process," said Mixner, "But the times demand that we all participate fully and completely to bring about change. Originally, my support went to Senator Edwards because of the war in Iraq. For the very same reason, I am supporting Senator Obama. This is not even a close call for me."

"It became clear to me personally that our committee had a vision for the role of the LGBT community that was similar to the role that LGBT supporters were already playing in the Obama campaign," said Stern. "It, like the Edwards Campaign, is a pure grassroots, activist-oriented operation…and it's clear that we will play a similar role in the Obama campaign."

The new supporters will help grassroots efforts leading up to the February 5th primaries and the rest of the primary season by reaching out to voters by phone banking and canvassing.

"We believe that Obama can pick up more delegates if the 12%-15% of Edwards supporters nationwide -- and even more in some states -- will turn out for Obama," Stern said. "We believe we can make a difference."

Other key members who have put their support behind Obama are:

Arizona -- Linda Elliott, member of the Human Rights Campaign board of directors and a major fund-raiser for defeating the state's constitutional marriage amendment;

California—Jeff Anderson and Jeff Soukup, former California co-chairs of Edwards for President; Gloria Nieto, Former Vice Chair of DNC LGBT Caucus; Evan Low, out council member for the city of Campbell; Pam Cooke, National Stonewall Democrats board member; past president, Stonewall Democratic Club of Los Angeles

Colorado—Andy Szekeres, former co-chair of Colorado Stonewall Democrats;

Georgia -- Kyle Bailey, chair of the Atlanta Stonewall Democrats; LGBT Caucus vice chair of the Young Democrats of America; former board member of the National Stonewall Democrats;

Tennessee - Jim Maynard, president of the Memphis Stonewall Democrats

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Below is the full list of supporters who are now publicly supporting Obama:

* Eric Stern, former political adviser to the John Edwards for President campaign, former National Stonewall Democrats executive director, former director of LGBT outreach for the Democratic National Committee (California)

* David Mixner, writer, Democratic Party activist (New York)

* Gloria Nieto, Former Vice Chair of DNC LGBT Caucus

* Linda Elliott, member of the board of directors for the Human Rights Campaign (Arizona)

* Evan Low, council member for the city of Campbell, Calif.

* David Garrity, vice chair of the Maine Democratic Party; former DNC Member

* Andy Szekeres, former Colorado Stonewall Democrats cochair, former Wisconsin LGBT field director, Kerry-Edwards (Colorado)

* Kyle Bailey, former board member, National Stonewall Democrats, LGBT Caucus vice chair of Young Democrats of America, Chair of Atlanta Stonewall Democrats (Georgia)

* Pam Cooke, National Stonewall Democrats board member; past president, Stonewall Democratic Club of Los Angeles (California)

* Bill Hedrick, president of Central Ohio Stonewall Democrats

* David Mariner, former Out for Howard Dean cochair (Maryland)

* Jason Lansdale, past president of Central Ohio Stonewall Democrats

* Daniel Hinkley, Nevada Stonewall Democratic Caucus president

* Misty York, communications director for the Kentucky Fairness Alliance

* Christopher Prevatt, chair of Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club (Orange County, Calif.)

* Jim Maynard, president of Memphis Stonewall Democrats (Tennessee)

* Daniel Graney, past president of Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio (Texas)

* Arthur Nunn, former Missouri for Edwards volunteer organizer and founder of LGBT for Edwards MySpace Group

* Brad Reichard, public pelations executive (Massachusetts)

* Michael Shannon, national security expert (D.C.)

* Les Krambeal, board member for the National Stonewall Democrats, cochair, Southern Arizona Stonewall Democrats

* Robert D. Horvath Jr., member of the board of directors for the Mautner Project (D.C.)

* Patrick J. Lyden, LGBT community activist (D.C.)

* Jeff Prang,West Hollywood City Council

* Tom Ammiano, San Fran board of Supervisors

* Rich Tafel, Formerly of National Log Cabin Republicans

* Jeff Soukup, Board Member of Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, former President and COO, PlanetOut Inc., and former Co-Chair National Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund

* Jeff Anderson, former Co-Chair of John Kerry for President National LGBT Finance Committee

* Bill Rosendahl, LA City Council

* Susan Belinda Christian, Co-Chair of Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club

* Patrick Shepherd, former President of Cleveland Stonewall Democrats; Board Member for the National Stonewall Democrats

* Joseph LaMonica, former board member of the San Antonio Stonewall Democrats.

* Brian Polejes,Vice President For Organizing Pride At Work*

*Organizations listed for identification purposes only.