David Glasgow, an openly gay candidate for Metro Council's District 18 seat, has picked up the endorsement of the Gay  & Lesbian Victory Fund.

The Victory Fund is a national organization that identifies qualified candidates for local office who are leaders in  their community and openly gay. Victory Fund staff can provide campaign  resources that help candidates plan and run and effective  campaign.
 
“In 2008, Keith Durbin made history as the  first openly gay man to win an election in Tennessee,” said the Victory Fund in a  news release. “Now that Durbin has vacated his seat on the Nashville  Davidson County Metro Council for a position with the mayor’s office, David Glasgow has risen to the challenge to represent his neighborhood on the  Council.”
 
Glasgow said he was honored to receive the  endorsement.
 
Glasgow has been a very active member of Nashville’s GLBT community, having served  as a board member of Artrageous, Inc. and Co-Chair of Artrageous 19,  "Shaken, Not Stirred." He is assistant coach of the Nashville Grizzlies  Rugby Football Club and an active member with the Nashville GLBT Chamber of  Commerce. In 2007 Glasgow was singled out for USDA Rural Development's  national High Mark Award for oustanding service improving the quality of life for people in rural  communities.
 
“We are thrilled that the Victory Fund has endorsed David Glasgow for the District 18 seat,” said David Taylor, a  resident of District 18, a member of Glasgow’s campaign committee, and a member of the Victory Campaign Board. “The criteria they (the Victory Fund) use for endorsement is rigorous, and having him go through the process so quickly is a strong indicator that they believe he is a viable candidate for this  seat.”
 
Taylor praised Glasgow, his organizational effectiveness and his ability to raise campaign funds. 
 
“David and his campaign volunteers have done a super job gaining key neighborhood support from people like former Council  Member Betty Nixon and have raised more than $15,000, which is phenomenal,”  he said. “David still needs donations since the race is expected to cost more than $20,000, and with four candidates there is likely to be a run-off,  which he will also have to fund.”
 
Taylor said that Glasgow will make a great representative  for the district, "...because he has real world experience on the issues that really matter in the district, like making our street safer, protecting the character of our residential streets and supporting the small businesses  that make this part of Nashville  unique."
 
“I’ve known David Glasgow for more than 27 years – we were in the same class in college – and I know him to be an  intelligent person of integrity who has a great passion for keeping our  neighborhoods strong and our city great,” Taylor said. 
 
“I believe he will make a positive difference  for this city and for our district when he’s elected and I stand behind him  100 percent. I encourage everyone who believes we can use another thoughtful, progressive voice on the Metro Council to contribute time or money to the campaign.”
 
In addition to Taylor, three other locals currently serve on the national Victory Fund Campaign Board. They include Jim Schmidt, Dena Scearce and Jeff Rymer. Taylor said the Victory Fund has an important role in changing the face of politics.
 
“We each are committed to helping elect qualified GLBT candidates to public office,” he said. “Every time a  Victory Fund candidate is elected it raises the horizon for the next  generation and helps change the face of American politics by breaking down walls of outdated bias.”
 
Glasgow faces three other candidates in the March 26 special election including John Ray Clemmons, a former cheif of staff to then Congressman Bob Clement, Stephenie Dodson, a community activist and long time resident, and Kristine LaLonde, a professor at Belmont University. 
 
Voters have the opportunity to meet all of these candidates during a  Feb. 22 community forum, which will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at the  Belmont  United Methodist Church Community Room. Megan Barry, an at-large councilwoman who is representing the district until the March 26  special election, and Keith Durbin, former representative for the 18th District, will moderate the discussion.
 
District 18 includes  the Belmont-Hillsboro and Hillsboro-West End neighborhoods, as well as  Vanderbilt  University, Vanderbilt Medical Center and Belmont University.