From: victoryf@aol.com Date: Wed, 16 Mar 94 13:34:42 EST Subject: GLVF Candidate Wins Primary **************************************************************************** PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE **************************************************************************** Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund 1012 14th Street, NW Suite 707 Washington, DC 20005 voice: (202) 842-8679 fax: (202) 289-3863 email: victoryf@aol.com Openly Gay Candidate Wins Chicago Primary: Tom Chiola Leads in Race for Cook County Judgeship WASHINGTON, D.C. 16 March 1994 Victory Fund recommended candidate Tom Chiola won an overwhelming victory over four candidates in the March 15 Democratic primary for the Cook County (Chicago) Circuit Court. Chiola, who garnered more than 35% of the vote is in good shape to win the November 8 general election, according to the Victory Fund's Chicago boardmembers Sharon Mylrea and Stephen L. Wood. "This is a historic moment for Chicago's lesbian and gay community," says Wood. "Thanks to our unified efforts, Tom Chiola is poised to become Chicago's first openly gay judge and the first openly gay candidate to win a major county-wide election in the state of Illinois." "Chiola's win with 35% of the vote is especially significant considering the fact that two of his opponents were sitting judges," notes Mylrea. "This margin of victory proves that a qualified openly gay candidate can get strong support from both gay and straight voters." If Chiola wins in November, he will join Pulaski School Board member Mark Loveless as Illinois' second openly gay elected official. Immensely qualified for this position, Chiola served for over five years as the Chief Administrative Law Judge for the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation and, as its General Counsel, is the most highly placed openly gay official in Illinois. Because he has tried cases involving such issues as gross malpractice by incompetent physicians, racial steering by real estate brokers and massive fraud on government programs, his caseload has generated much positive media attention. Chiola is widely known for his volunteer work in the gay and lesbian community and has taken an active role in the fight to pass a gay rights bill in the Illinois legislature. "Victory Fund support made a world of difference in my primary race," says Chiola. "Their donor network gave me the early money I needed to build name recognition and deliver my message to the voters." The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, a national donor network of individuals dedicated to electing qualified openly lesbian and gay candidates to public office. (For more information, please contact Kathleen DeBold by phone: 202-842-8679 or e-mail: victoryf@aol.com)