SAN FRANCISCO -- Cindy Sheehan, the independent peace-mom-activist-turned-candidate who is running an insurgent campaign against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for control of her CA-08 seat, announced this week that several leaders in California's gay and lesbian community have endorsed her.

Sheehan said that Rosie O'Donnell, Melissa & Tammy Etheridge and Gore Vidal have all formally endorsed her campaign against Pelosi (D-San Francisco.)

In a press statement O'Donnell, the Etheridges and Vidal cited Sheehan's passionate commitment to equal protections and freedoms for the LGBT community as reasons why they are supporting Sheehan's candidacy.

"Politics are about people," said Melissa Etheridge. "When citizens become empowered and realize that democracy is there to work for them, incredible change can happen. Cindy Sheehan knows that the old guard in Washington is fear-based and needs to change. She is walking her talk and running for office. Tammy and I believe in her convictions and support her."