All the Historic LGBTQ Wins From the Midterm Elections That You Need to Know About
The 2018 midterm elections were a historic occasion. Democrats flipped the House of Representatives, women of color had unprecedented wins, and a number of LGBTQ candidates prevailed. Below, some of the most important LGBTQ victories you need to know about:
Sharice Davids
Attorney and former MMA fighter, Sharice Davids unseated four-term Republican Representative Kevin Yoder to become the second openly lesbian member of Congress, the first openly LGBT person to represent Kansas, and one of America's two first Native American congresswomen.
Angie Craig
In Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, Angie Craig became the state's first LGBTQ congressperson. Craig beat Republican incumbent Jason Lewis, who, in 2013, said that same-sex parents "could harm the kid," according to BuzzFeed News. He also once lamented that you can no longer call women "sluts."
Jared Polis
Democratic Colorado Representative Jared Polis became the first openly gay man elected to a governor's mansion. It's good news for Coloradans who like health care, early childhood education, and the environment. It's bad news for that one Colorado baker who went to the Supreme Court to fight for his right to refuse service to LGBTQ customers, appeared in an anti-Polis attack ad, and is currently under investigation by the state's civil rights commission.
Kate Brown
Oregon Governor Kate Brown-the first openly bisexual governor in U.S. history-won re-election last night. She defeated the Republican challenger Knute Buehler in a tight race.
Massachusetts
In a ballot measure, the state of Massachusetts voted to uphold a two-year-old state law that protects transgender people from discrimination in public spaces including restrooms and locker rooms. The vote is seen as a response to local efforts to repeal the law and Trump Administration efforts to erase transgender protections.
Chris Pappas
Thank you, New Hampshire! I'm honored to have earned your trust and your vote. Let's get to work! #nhpolitics #NH01 pic.twitter.com/4Vk7VrUsmi
- Chris Pappas (@ChrisPappasNH) November 7, 2018
Chris Pappas, a former restauranteur and state lawmaker, became New Hampshire's first openly gay congressman. He defeated Republican Eddie Edwards to win the state's 1st Congressional District.
Kim Davis
A small one, but a symbolic one: Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who became infamous for ignoring a U.S. federal court order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, was defeated by Democrat Elwood Caudill Jr.
Tammy Baldwin
America's first openly gay Senator, Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin also held on to her seat last night, defeating Republican state Sen. Leah Vukmir.
Katie Hill
Hill won California's 25th congressional district after an extremely close race, becoming the state's first openly-bisexual congressperson. She beat incumbent Steve Knight, who the Advocate notes is the son of the late Pete Knight, the California state senator who wrote the ban on same-sex marriage, which voters passed in 2000.
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