The candidates running for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts are largely supportive of LGBT rights -- the Democrats, at least. 

Rep. Capuano, for instance, is a co-sponsor of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), which will ban discrimination in hiring and firing based on someone's sexual orientation and gender identity. Attorney General Martha Coakley was the first statewide elected official to endorse MA's gender-identity nondiscrimination bill, still under consideration at the Statehouse. Still, they need to do more.

Amazingly, in 2009 LGBT people can still be fired or not hired in 30 states simply because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

At this point, saying you support ENDA or co-sponsoring ENDA is not enough. These candidates, all vying for the LGBT and allied vote, need to come out strongly in favor of ENDA and advocate for its passage.

Tomorrow, Thursday, November 5th, a very important Senate hearing will take place on ENDA. All ENDA-supportive Senate candidates should issue public statements supporting the legislation and talk about ENDA in their campaign work these next few days. They should make a point of advocating for its passage. 

We call on them to do so. 

(To find out more about ENDA and take action yourself, visit http://www.unitedenda.org.)

Note: Alan Khazei and Steve Pagliuca were not included in this petition because direct email contact could not be found for either.