Democratic presidential forum on LGBTQ issues will be held in California [View all]

[left-of-center2012]

There will be at least one presidential forum in California. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation — the education arm of the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights organization — and UCLA will co-host a Democratic presidential candidate forum in Los Angeles.

The event is scheduled for Oct. 10, the eve of National Coming Out Day, in Royce Hall at UCLA. It will focus on the candidates’ plans to “move LGBTQ equality forward,” according to the co-hosts.

Only candidates who receive 1 percent or more support in three national polls or receive donations from 65,000 different people in 20 different states can participate in the forum. That is similar to the standard being used by the Democratic National Committee to determine who can participate in its first two debates.

No candidates have confirmed their attendance yet, but organizers expect a robust crowd given that several Democratic candidates have already reached out to the Human Rights Campaign.

Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey and former Vice President Joe Biden either attended or addressed the Human Rights Campaign’s national dinner last year. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota have recently appeared at events sponsored by the organization, as has candidate Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Ind.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-to-host-Democratic-presidential-debate-13698482.php