This election cycle was historic for LGBTQ Americans for a number of reasons. Not only did a record number of LGBTQ candidates run in 2020, but a record percentage of LGBTQ candidates won their races, according to new data from LGBTQ Victory Fund.
As of this week, 334 of the 782 known LGBTQ general election candidates won their races in November, the Victory Fund data as reported by NBC News found, putting the overall winning percentage at 43 percent.
In terms of sexual orientation demographics, lesbian candidates were the most triumphant of LGBTQ candidates, with over 55 percent winning their elections. By comparison, 41.5 percent of gay candidates, 40 percent of queer candidates, 35 percent of pansexual candidates, about a third of bisexual candidates, and zero percent of the two asexual candidates won their races.
As for gender identity demographics, cisgender women were the winningest LGBTQ candidates: 50 percent won their races, compared to 39 percent of cisgender men, 17 percent of trans men, 37 percent of trans women, 25 percent of gender-nonconforming candidates, and 31 percent of genderqueer/non-binary candidates.
“In one of the most vitriolic and unprecedented election cycles of our time, LGBTQ candidates continue winning elections in numbers and in parts of the country thought unthinkable a decade or two ago,” Annise Parker, the president of LGBTQ Victory Fund, said. “LGBTQ people span every community – we are people of color, women, immigrants, and people with disabilities – and we are able to use that life experience to connect with voters from many backgrounds. This beautiful diversity provides an opportunity to connect on some level with every single voter in America. That is the reason LGBTQ candidates are winning in unprecedented numbers, and this will only accelerate in the years ahead.”