The LGBTQ community cleans up in the 2022 midterm election
The LGBTQ community is rejoicing today as a historic number of LGBTQ people won their mid-term elections. In the 2020 election, 336 LGBTQ people were voted into office, however this year, the number currently stands at 340. Not all the races have been announced yet either, so that means more candidates could be elected in the coming days.
Many were expecting a Red Wave to ensue. However, as the results are showing, this did not eventuate to the extreme that was anticipated. At present, it seems that the Senate and the House are pretty evenly divided. It’s unlikely final numbers will be available for days (some say even possibly weeks). What does remain true, though, is that more Blue candidates were elected than folks were anticipating.
Victory Fund President and CEO Annise Parker said, “tonight’s Rainbow Wave is a clear rebuke to the increased homophobia and transphobia sweeping our communities – and proves voters want to elect qualified LGBTQ leaders. With so much at stake this election, from the future of marriage equality to abortion, LGBTQ candidates’ grit and exceptional grassroots support is paying off.”
Some of the notable winners include:
- Maura Healy was elected to be the Massachusetts governor. Not only is she the first female governor the state has ever had, but she is the first out lesbian governor in the history of the United States.
- Jared Polis, who was the first out gay man to be elected as a governor anywhere in the United States, was re-elected in Colorado.
- Becca Balint is the first woman, and first out LGBTQ person to represent Vermont in Congress.
- Erick Russel is the first black LGBTQ community member to win a statewide office position anywhere in the United States. He will serve as Connecticut’s elected treasurer.
- Sharice Davids is the first gay Native American representative in Congress, and the only Democrat in Kansas’s congressional delegation, and was re-elected.
Clearly, these are just a few names among the many that have been elected so far. This is excellent news for the LGBTQ community, which has been facing harrowing legislative attacks in the United States in recent times.
Congratulations to all the winners and watch this space as more information comes to light about other new LGBTQ elected officials.
