Board also elects new members from Alabama, Montana, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington

WASHINGTON, DC—The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) Board of Directors unanimously re-elected Chair Joan Fitz-Gerald, who is also the Colorado Senate President.

The DLCC and Democratic State Legislators nationwide have gained seats and chambers in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. In 2006, under Senator Joan Fitz-Gerald’s leadership, the DLCC helped win 340 seats and ten new Democratic majorities: the Indiana House, the Iowa House and Senate, the Michigan House, the Minnesota House, the New Hampshire House and Senate, the Oregon House, the Pennsylvania House, and the Wisconsin Senate. These victories follow 2004, when the DLCC and state legislative Democrats pushed 10 chambers towards Democratic control.

The DLCC also grew to over a ten million dollar committee this cycle, over a 50% increase from the 2004 cycle.

National leaders were quick to praise Senator Fitz-Gerald’s leadership.

“Joan Fitz-Gerald has done all Democrats and progressives an invaluable service by growing the Democratic state legislative ranks to record levels,” says Gerald McEntee, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). “By packing 6 years of wins into one cycle, she has put Democrats in a much stronger position as we approach the next redistricting."

"Joan Fitz-Gerald is a remarkable leader," says House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi. "Democratic state legislators are a critical part of the Democratic family, and I applaud their successes over the past two cycles."

"Joan Fitz-Gerald helped the DLCC break fundraising records,” says Ellen Malcolm, President of EMILY’s List. “We were proud to work with her to elect ten new Democratic majorities, four of which will be led by women."

New members include: House Minority Leader Joyce Beatty of Ohio; Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, Washington; Representative Garnet Coleman of Texas; Representative Mike Gerber of Pennsylvania; House Majority Leader Ken Guin of Alabama; Representative Christine Kaufmann, Montana; Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Minnesota; and Speaker of the House Jeff Merkley, Oregon.

“We welcome our new members.” says DLCC Chair Joan Fitz-Gerald. “And we are ready to begin working immediately to continue our record of victory. I look forward to working with our new and returning board members to prepare Democrats for redistricting, to stand up for Democratic values in our states, and to continue to show that Democrats can win—anywhere.”

"Chair Fitz-Gerald criss-crossed the country working for the DLCC last cycle. She grew this committee and broke all our previous fundraising records. Democratic legislators everywhere are truly lucky to have her at the helm," says Michael Davies, Executive Director of the DLCC.