BOSTON (AP) — Democratic State Sen. Cheryl Jacques, who has been a leading voice for victims rights and gay equality, will be leaving her seat to lead the nation’s largest lesbian and gay political organization.

Jacques, who has represented the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex region on Beacon Hill since 1992, will become president and executive director of the Human Rights Campaign after the current leader steps down at the end of the year.

“The Human Rights Campaign is shaping the outcome of the next chapter in the book of civil rights, and I can’t think of anything more important than making sure that America fulfills her promise of full fairness and equality to all of her citizens,” said Jacques, who lives in Needham.

The Human Rights Campaign, which has more than 500,000 members nationally, was founded in 1980 to lobby Congress, provide campaign support to political candidates, and educate the public about issues affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizens.

Jacques joins the organization at a tumultuous time in the battle for gay rights, following a Canadian court’s legalization of same-sex marriage and a U.S. Supreme Court decision protecting a gay couple’s right to privacy in the bedroom.

Massachusetts could be the next frontier, with the state’s highest court expected to issue a decision on gay marriage any day.

Given the heightened attention, the Human Rights Campaign and Jacques are likely to be in the spotlight during next year’s presidential race.

Political observers say this could help pave the way to higher office for Jacques, who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2001.

“Equal rights for people who are gay and lesbian is going to be one of the three or four biggest culture war issues that the two parties will debate,” Democratic political consultant Michael Goldman said. “To be at the center of those important issues and to have an impact potentially in promoting those issues is an opportunity that it would be difficult for anyone to pass by.”

The Human Rights Campaign, which is based in Washington, D.C., selected Jacques after a 10-month search. She replaces Elizabeth Birch, who plans to step down at the end of the year.

“It was a difficult decision, but we firmly believe that Cheryl has the right mix of experience and vision to write this next chapter in our civil rights history,” HRC Board co-chairman Tim Boggs said in a statement.

Jacques is openly gay and has twin boys with her partner.