Right here at home, Washingtonians also for Queer candidates. Alexis Mercedes Rinck beat incumbent Tanya Woo to represent District 8 on the Seattle City Council. Rinck hopes to use her position to help Seattle keep programs and services that aid low-income families by protecting Jumpstart funding and proposing a local capital gains tax, a high payroll tax, and real estate transfer taxes. She will also work to expand transit development and fight gentrification by advocating for state-level renter protections and sensible caps on rent increases.

In a hotly contested primary election, Dave Upthegrove earned a spot on the November ballot. He now also is leading over his conservative opponent to become Washington's next public lands commissioner. Previously a representative from South King County, Upthegrove served as chair of the House Environment Committee and worked hard to reduce carbon pollution, clean up toxins, and improve oil spill prevention. As public lands commissioner, Upthegrove plans to preserve mature legacy forests, expand recreational opportunities, and honor treaty rights by strengthening the co-management role of tribes. He also vows to center environmental justice in everything he does.

In a win for intersectionality, Washington's own Emily Randall became the first LGBTQ+ Latina in Congress. Randall is a third-generation Washingtonian who grew up in Port Orchard. The first person in her working-class family to graduate from college, she grew up working in retail and waiting tables, and even worked for Planned Parenthood to help women access healthcare. She decided to run for office the night Donald Trump was elected the first time. With a grassroots campaign, Randall worked hard and flipped Washington's 26th Senate District, unseating a MAGA Republican. Randall plans to emphasize reproductive healthcare in DC and hopes to build strong coalitions with other progressive members of Congress. (More on other federal races below.)

Randall won't be alone as a pioneer of minority representation. She will be joined by Ritchie Torres, Mark Takano, and Sharice Davids, who all won their reelection bids in 2024. All have made history in their own rights: Torres became the youngest elected official in New York City at the age of 25 and the first openly LGBTQ+ official from the Bronx; Davids is one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress; and in 2012, Takano was the first openly Gay person of color elected to Congress.

Queer candidates take on the South and Midwest

Beating the odds, Keturah Herron (she/they) became the first LGBTQ+ person of color elected to the Kentucky Senate and will bring her experience in youth and justice advocacy to the position. A go-getter, Herron was essential in passing Breonna's Law after Breonna Taylor, a young Louisville woman, was killed in her home by police. The legislation now outlaws "no-knock warrants" in the state. As a state senator, Herron plans to push for an Office of Community Safety to address gun violence better. She also wants to fully restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated people and provide pay raises to public educators.

In Georgia, Rashaun Kemp became the first Gay Black man elected to the state legislature. Kemp is new to politics, having previously worked as a high school teacher, principal, and senior director of a nonprofit. His goals include increasing funding for public schools, reforming the justice system to focus on rehabilitation, and ensuring that all citizens can vote by making Election Day a national holiday.

In Tennessee, Gabby Salinas became the first LGBTQ+ woman and LGBTQ+ Latinx person elected to the state legislature there. A fighter from the beginning, Salinas overcame childhood cancer and a tragic car accident that killed her father and sister and paralyzed her mother. Salinas said her dream has always been to "help people through science." She will continue to do that in the legislature by expanding Medicaid and state funding for education. Salinas will also fight to pass mandatory three-day waiting periods for all gun sales, as well as required background checks.

In Texas, Molly Cook became the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the state Senate. A registered nurse and grassroots organizer, Cook says she prioritizes caring for people. Her platform includes funding community violence intervention programs, raising the minimum age to purchase an assault-style rifle to 21, and passing safe-storage legislation. Despite her state's laws, Cook has a very progressive stance on abortion, because she had one in 2014.

"All Texans should be able to consider every option regardless of their income or neighborhood," she said in a campaign statement. She also believes abortions should be covered by insurance.

Iowa elected its first Trans person, Aime Wichtendahl, to the state legislature. Wichtendahl became the first out Trans woman to be elected to government in the state when she won her election to the Hiawatha City Council in 2016. Now, she has earned a seat at an even bigger table and promises to fight to repeal the "Don't Say Gay" law and book-banning laws in the state. She also aims to legalize marijuana and repeal abortion bans and laws banning gender-affirming care for minors.

"For me, the American Dream is the freedom to live your best life. It is the ability to find and hold a good-paying job that can cover all the expenses and leave enough left over to enjoy the things that make this life worth living," she said in a campaign statement. "It's the freedom to raise a family and not have to worry about rising costs in healthcare, housing, and food. It is the freedom to be yourself — because no government official gets to tell you who you are."

Queers heading to Congress
LGBTQ+ candidates not only swept victories in state governments across the country but also earned seats in the US Congress.

Sarah McBride made history on November 5 as the first Trans person to be elected to Congress. Now representing Delaware in the House of Representatives, McBride will be a bold voice defending LGBTQ+ rights. She also supports expanding healthcare access for Americans and aims to provide more economic policies for the working class. McBride sees climate change as a significant issue and vows to support legislation to help fight it.

"None of us know how long we have, but we do have a choice in whether we love or hate," she said. "And every day that we rob people of the ability to live their lives to the fullest, we are undermining the most precious gift we are given as humans."

Julie Johnson was elected to represent her district of Texas in the US House of Representatives, and has made history as the first LGBTQ+ person from a Southern state to serve in Congress. As a state representative, in the last session alone, she helped kill 76 out of 77 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed. Johnson has also fought relentlessly for women's reproductive rights as the vice chair of the Women's Health Caucus. In the House, she hopes to reinstate reproductive rights by writing Roe into law. Like many progressive candidates, she also plans on supporting laws to raise the minimum age to purchase a firearm and protect the Affordable Care Act from Republican attacks.

The next four years may be difficult, but these LGBTQ+ candidates have proven they're up for a challenge. From making history in the South to preserving legacy seats in Congress to serving our neighborhoods, Queer and Trans legislators are ready to do the work to defend our rights.

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