From its earliest moments, the organization emphasized electing candidates who were gay-friendly and had made specific commitments to support issues important to Houston's LGBTQ community.
A Houston Chronicle photo of early LGBTQ advocates Ray Hill, Pokey Anderson, Jerry Miller, and Rev.
Don Hrachovy, who served as president in 1977 until his employer sent him to Saudi Arabia, worked tirelessly to compile names and voter information for members of Houston's gay community and used it to build a much admired mailing list.
In 1979, it endorsed Eleanor Tinsley, who was running for an at-large seat on city council; she defeated an incumbent who had been outspoken against LGBTQ rights.
In 1981, the group experienced a turning point of sorts when it played an integral role in the election of Democrat Kathy Whitmire, who became the city's first woman mayor.
In 2005, The Caucus enjoyed another important victory when Sue Lovell was elected to an at-large seat on city council.
The Caucus endorsed Parker early in her bid to become the first openly gay mayor of a major American city, and its members provided much of the grassroots strength of her campaign.
She led the general election and earned a spot in the run-off, where she defeated lawyer Gene Locke by a 53–47 margin to make history.
Her election was particularly meaningful to the city's LGBTQ community, given the fact that conservative organizations attacked her on the basis of her sexual orientation during the campaign.
While she never sought support solely on the basis of her orientation, she also never shied away from it, insisting that, "Voters will elect me knowing that I'm gay and that it will mean a lot to my community.
"[11] However, when Parker left office in January 2016, despite her strong commitment and substantial financial support of the organization, then-president of The Caucus, Maverick Welsh publicly rebuked her in an article published by the Houston Chronicle, stating: She was very contemptuous, not just of council.
One of the most prominent current issues facing The Caucus is an effort to enact local protections against discrimination for the LGBTQ community.