436 openly LGBTQ candidates won their elections as of 7pm EST Thursday, surpassing the previous record of 336 set in 2020. There are 54 races with LGBTQ candidates that have not yet been called, including Will Rollins in California and Kris Mayes in Arizona.
To reach equitable representation, the U.S. must elect more than 35,000 more openly LGBTQ people to office, according to the LGBTQ Victory Institute.
Victory Fund President Annise Parker issued the following statement:
“This Rainbow Wave was fueled by a record number of LGBTQ candidates who defied the odds by running — and winning — in the face of extraordinary anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and attacks. Bigots underestimated our power and determination as they’ve done throughout history. While this election has given us much to be optimistic about, such as a historic number of victorious trans and nonbinary candidates, we still have a long way to go before we achieve equitable representation in government. LGBTQ people have never been fully represented in government and until that day, we will not stop organizing, we will not stop fighting and we will not stop running for office. Because when we run, we win.”
Key trends:
- Of the 714 openly LGBTQ candidates who appeared on Tuesday’s ballot, 436 won — a 61 percent win rate.
- Of the 250 openly LGBTQ women who appeared on Tuesday’s ballot, 160 won — a 64 percent win rate.
- Of the 353 openly LGBTQ men who appeared on Tuesday’s ballot, 221 won races — a 63 percent win rate.
- Of the 37 openly transgender candidates who appeared on Tuesday’s ballot, 18 won their races — a 49 percent win rate.
- Of the 24 openly nonbinary candidates who appeared on Tuesday’s ballot, 13 won their races — a 54 percent win rate.
Key wins:
- Tina Kotek and Maura Healey — the nation’s first lesbian governors (Kotek release and Healey release).
- Erick Russell — the first Black openly LGBTQ person ever elected statewide (release).
- James Roesener — the first trans man elected to a state legislature in U.S. history (release).
- Leigh Finke — the first trans person ever elected to the Minnesota state legislature (release).
- Zooey Zephyr and SJ Howell — the first trans person and first nonbinary person elected to the Montana state legislature (release).
- Jennie Armstrong and Andrew Gray — the first openly LGBTQ people ever elected to the Alaska state legislature (release). Louisiana and Mississippi are now the only U.S. states to have never elected an openly LGBTQ state lawmaker.
Story courtesy of the Washington Blade via the National LGBTQ Media Association. The National LGBTQ Media Association represents 13 legacy publications in major markets across the country with a collective readership of more than 400K in print and more than 1 million + online. Learn more here: nationallgbtmediaassociation.com/