HRC aggressively targeted races and leveraged millions of dollars and extensive staff resources to ensure victories for pro-equality candidates. And those efforts paid off, with wins in some of the most closely watched campaigns this year.

"American voters sent a clear message yesterday that the era of gay-bashing to win elections is over, as voters flatly rejected anti-gay and divisive candidates," added Solmonese.

Conservative extremists pulled a chapter out of their 2004 campaign playbook to exploit the gay community for political gain, but their efforts fell flat with an electorate angry and disillusioned by rampant corruption and the Iraq war quagmire. The failure of rightwing candidates to mobilize their base with anti-gay messages this year is a clear sign that scapegoating GLBT Americans for political points is a recipe for failure.

Although some races are still too close to call, including the Virginia Senate race, HRC's efforts successfully helped the following candidates make historic wins:

Key Senate HRC Candidate Victories: Sherrod Brown (OH) Maria Cantwell (WA) Ben Cardin (MD)
Bob Casey (PA)
Amy Klobuchar (MN) Robert Menendez (NJ) Debbie Stabenow (MI)

Key House HRC Candidate Victories: Michael Arcuri (NY) Melissa Bean (IL) Bruce Braley (IA) Gabrielle Giffords (AZ) John Hall (NY) Ron Klein (FL) Tim Mahoney (FL) Harry Mitchell (FL) Patrick Murphy (PA) Ed Perlmutter (CO) Joe Sestak (PA) Chris Shays (CT) Tim Walz (MN)

Statements by Some of the 2006 Election Winners: Said Senator-elect Bob Casey (Pennsylvania): "HRC got behind my campaign early and has been a tremendous help. The energy and commitment they put behind our campaign was extraordinary. I look forward to working with HRC's incredible staff and membership, especially to advance hate crimes legislation in the Senate."

Said Senator-elect Sherrod Brown (Ohio): "HRC's presence throughout the state of Ohio during this election was nothing short of extraordinary. It demonstrated the best that we can achieve when we work together and stand up for what is right. I was proud of HRC's

financial and grassroots support for my campaign, it made a difference in the larger fight for social and economic justice for every American."

Said Congresswoman-elect Gabrielle Giffords (Arizona): "I have stood up for equality in Arizona, and I am grateful that HRC and the GLBT community stood with our campaign during the primary and the general elections. We can accomplish so much for our families when we work together. Fairness is an essential American value, and when we champion fairness, we can win decisive victories in even the most competitive Congressional Districts"