Amanda Simpson Elected Delegate To DNC Convention: By Mark R. Kerr

Amanda Simpson, Transgender activist, former member of the City of Tucson Commission on GLBT Issues and candidate for the Arizona House of Representative was elected as an at-large delegate to the upcoming Democratic National Convention to take place in Denver, Colorado.

In her speech, Simpson, who was running as a delegate for New York Senator Hillary Clinton, stated she would fully support and work to elect the presidential nominee as well as the rest of the Democratic ticket voters will consider in the November general election.

Simpson and David Martinez, elected at the district caucus as a Clinton delegate will represent Southern Arizona’s LGBT community at the convention.

A total of seven LGBT Arizonans will be part of the 67 person delegation, including state Representatives Robert Meza of Phoenix, Kyrsten Sinema of Phoenix, former state Representative Jack Jackson Jr., of Window Rock, state Senator Ken Cheuvront of Phoenix and local activist David Martinez of Tucson.

In other news, the initial meeting to form an Arizona Democratic Party LGBT caucus took place at the state convention held Saturday, April 26.

Les Krambeal of Tucson and Amanda Simpson were elected Chair and First Vice-Chair of the newly formed caucus.