Lesbians come out on top in U.S. midterm elections
Voters delivered a series of historic firsts for members of the LGBTQ+ community across the United States in this year’s midterm elections.
Over 430 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer political candidates emerged victorious at the polls.
Lesbians and other queer women scored some of the biggest wins in what LGBTQ+ advocates called yet another “rainbow wave.”
First lesbian governors: Healey and Kotek
Democrat Maura Healey swept to victory on Election Day in Massachusetts, becoming the first lesbian elected governor of a U.S. state. Healey is both the first woman and the first gay person elected to lead Massachusetts. “To every little girl out there, we want you to know– there’s no ceiling you can’t break,” she tweeted after her win.
Healey also had some inspiring words for LGBTQ+ kids in her victory speech: “I hope tonight shows that you can be whomever you want to be.”
Another lesbian gubernatorial candidate and fellow Democrat, Tina Kotek, was in a much tighter three-way race in Oregon. On Monday, she ultimately defeated Republican Christine Drazan and independent candidate Betsy Johnson for Oregon governor.
Kotek’s victory made her and Maura Healey the first openly lesbian governors in American history.
Other notable midterm wins for lesbians and queer women
Democrat Becca Balint was elected in Vermont to the U.S. House of Representatives. She is the first woman and openly gay person to represent the state in Congress.
In Arizona, Democrat Patricia Contreras became the first out lesbian Latina elected to the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, Liz Bennett- who identifies as queer- was elected to the Iowa Senate, District 39. She is the first out LGBTQ+ woman to serve in the state Senate.
There were notable reelections as well: Democrat Ashley Bland Manlove was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives, District 26, and Democrat Jessica Benham was once more elected as a state Representative in Pennsylvania’s House District 36.
First elected in November 2018 to a two-year term, Manlove is the first openly gay woman of color to serve in Missouri’s General Assembly; reelectionist Benham is the first bisexual woman to be elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature.
Context: Why these historic wins matter
People from LGBTQ+ communities comprise roughly 0.2% of all elected officials despite making up around 7.1% of the U.S. adult population.
The 2022 midterms showed significant growth in trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming candidates as well as LGBTQ+ candidates of color.
According to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, 678 LGBTQ+ candidates were on the November 8 ballot- an 18% increase from 2020, when 574 candidates ran for office.
Also, for the first time in U.S. history, LGBTQ+ candidates ran for election in all 50 states and the District of Columbia this cycle.
Political power is key to combating attacks against the queer community. There are currently two governors, two senators, nine members of Congress, 189 state legislators, and 56 mayors who openly identify as LGBTQ+.
These historic wins represent huge political gains amid an increase in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country.