In a year marked by record-breaking anti-LGBTQ legislation, queer candidates clinched hundreds of down-ballot victories nationwide, even as Trump reclaimed the Presidency.
Here are but a handful of notable wins by LGBTQ+ candidates.
In Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin, who held her seat in the U.S. Senate. In 2012, Baldwin became the first ever out LGBTQ+ person elected to the Senate. With Senators Laphonza Butler and Kyrsten Sinema not running to retain their seats, Senator Baldwin’s win ensures that LGBTQ+ representation is maintained in the U.S. Senate.
In North Carolina candidate Lisa Grafstein was victorious in her race to hold onto her seat as a North Carolina State Senator. Grafstein was first elected in 2022, becoming the only out member of the North Carolina Senate.
In Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig won reelection to her seat representing Minnesota’s 2nd district in the U.S. House of Representatives. With her election to the House in 2018, Rep. Craig became the first and only out LGBTQ member of Congress from Minnesota.
In Iowa candidate Aime Wichtendahl won a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives. She will be the first openly transgender person to serve in Iowa’s state legislature. Wichtendahl became the first openly trans person elected in the state when she was first elected to the Hiawatha City Council in 2015.
Emily Randall won her bid to represent Washington in the U.S. House Representatives. Randall will be the first ever openly LGBTQ+ Latina in Congress and the first LGBTQ+ member of Congress from the state of Washington
Sharice Davids successfully held her seat representing Kansas’ 3rd district in the U.S. House of Representatives. When elected in 2018, Davids became the first openly LGBTQ+ Native American elected to the United States Congress, the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to the United States Congress from Kansas, and one of the first two Native American women (alongside Deb Haaland) elected to the United States Congress.
In Vermont Becca Balint successfully held her seat representing the state’s at-large district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Balint, elected in 2022, is the first woman and first out LGBTQ+ person to represent Vermont in Congress.
Sarah McBride won her race to represent Delaware in the U.S. House of Representatives. McBride is the first ever openly transgender person elected to Congress.
In Tennessee Gabby Salinas won in her race for the state’s House of Representatives. Salinas will be the first ever out LGBTQ+ woman to serve in the Tennessee state legislature.
Keturah Herron won her race for the Kentucky State Senate. In 2022, she became the first out LGBTQ+ member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, and now will become the first ever out LGBTQ+ woman elected to the Kentucky State Senate.
Also, across the country significant pieces of pro-LGBTQ+ legislation passed through state legislatures.
In California Proposition 3 passed with an overwhelming 61% yes vote. The measure expands expand the heterosexual boundaries of the right to marry within the California Constitution and repeals the odious Proposition 8, an outdated initiative that defines marriage as between a man and a woman in the state.
Amendment J removed the ban on same-sex marriage in Colorado. Like California, Colorado constituents overwhelmingly votes yes, with nearly 64% voting in favor.
Voters in New York passed Proposition 1, an Equal Rights Amendment that seeks to establish protection against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, and pregnancy outcomes. It passed with 62% voting yes.