State Sen. Adam Ebbin, for more than a decade the only openly gay member of the Virginia State Legislature now seeking the Democratic nomination to fill the shoes of retiring Rep. Jim Moran, has received the endorsement and support of the Washington, D.C.-based National Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, it was announced today.

The Victory Fund limits its endorsements for elected office to openly LGBT candidates and so far this year its endorsements of candidates across the U.S. have gone to candidates of both major parties. In 2008, it backed then Falls Church City Council candidate Lawrence Webb, including by sending activists to work the City’s then five polls with pro-Webb literature, and many believe it was decisive for a narrow victory for the first-time candidate by a 13-vote margin over incumbent Vice Mayor Lindy Hockenberry.

In the Democratic primary set for June 10 to select Moran’s successor, Ebbin is not the only openly gay candidate, as State Del. Mark Sickles made a statement “coming out” as gay last week. Ebbin and Sickles are two among the 11 candidates who’ve announced they are running in the June 10 primary.