The Rainbow Wave: LGBTQ+ Politicians Make History

Dyanna Bateman (she/her)

After four years of increased anti-LGBTQ+ policies being passed under the Trump administration, 2020 had something positive to offer with the largest number of LGBTQ+ candidates ever to appear on ballots in a single year. Of these 570 candidates, over 160 of them secured their office and many made history while doing it. This list is a compilation of LGBTQ+ office holders that are setting new precedents by being one of the firsts in their districts.

A highlight of some of the history making LGBTQ+ politicians of the 2020 election. Illustration by Max Coolidge.

City Elections - Mayors

• Todd Gloria (San Diego Mayor): Gloria is San Diego’s first gay mayor and first POC mayor.
• Christy Holstage (Palm Springs Mayor): Holstege is the first bisexual mayor in the United States. She is also Palm Spring’s first female mayor.

State Elections - Senators and House Elects

• Jessica Benham (Pennsylvania State House Representative): Benham is the first LGBTQ+ female legislator in Pennsylvania. She is one of the only bisexual and one of the only autistic state legislators in the United States.
• Jabari Brisport (New York State Senator): Brisport is the first Black LGBTQ+ state senator in New York.
• Stephanie Byers (Kansas State House): Byers is the first trans POC state legislator in the United States.
• Ryan Fecteau (Maine State House): Fecteau was re-elected after becoming the youngest gay state legislator in 2016.
• Torrey Harris (Tennessee State House): Harris is the first LGBTQ+ state legislator in Tennessee.
• Kim Jackson (Georgia State Senator): Jackson is the first LGBTQ+ state legislator in Georgia. She is one of three Black LGBTQ+ women state senators in the United States.
• Shervin Jones (Florida State Senator): Jones is the first LGBTQ+ state senator in Florida.
• Ana Irma Rivera Lassén (Puerto Rico State Senate): Lassén is the first LGBTQ+ state legislator in Puerto Rico.
• Malcolm Kenyatta (Pennsylvania State House): Kenyatta was re-elected after becoming the youngest and first gay man of color to be elected as a legislator in Pennsylvania in 2018.
• Alex Lee (California State Assembly): Lee is the first bisexual state legislator in California.
• Tiara Mack (Rhode Island State Senator): Mack is the first Black LGBTQ+ state senator in Rhode Island.
• Eddie Mannis (Tennessee State House): Along with Harris, Mannis is one of the first LGBTQ+ state legislators in Tennessee. He is the first LGBTQ+ Republican elected in Tennessee.
• Sarah McBride (Delaware State Senator): McBride is the first trans state senator in the United States.
• Roger Montoya (New Mexico State House): Montoya is the first LGBTQ+ state legislator in New Mexico. He is also one of the only politicians currently living with HIV.
• David Ortiz (Colorado State House): Ortiz is the first bisexual legislator in Colorado.
• Sam Park (Georgia State House): Park was re-elected after becoming the first gay Georgia state legislator in 2016.
• Michele Reyner (Florida State House): Reyner is the first Black, queer, female state legislator in Florida.
• Taylor Small (Vermont State House): Small is the first trans state legislator in Vermont.
• Carlos Smith (Florida State House): Smith was re-elected after becoming the first LGBTQ+ Latinx Florida state legislator in 2016.
• Adrian Tam (Hawaii State House Representative): Tam is the first LGBTQ+ state legislator in Hawaii.
• Brianna Titone (Colorado State House): Titone was re-elected after becoming the first trans state legislator in 2018.
• Mauree Turner (Oklahoma State House): Turner is the first nonbinary state legislator in the United States. They are also the first Muslim state legislator in Oklahoma.

National Elections - US Representatives and Senators

• David Cicilline (US House Representative of Rhode Island)
• Sharice Davids (US House Representative of Kansas): Davids was re-elected after becoming the first LGBTQ+ Native American member of Congress in 2018.
• Mondaire Jones (US House Representative of New York): Jones is one of the first Black LGBTQ+ members of Congress.
• Mark Takano (US House Representative of California)
• Ritchie Torres (US House Representative of New York): Torres is the first gay Afro-Latinx member of Congress.

The shattering of the lavender ceiling that we have experienced in 2020 is only the beginning. We still have a long way to go before eliminating homophobia and transphobia from our government. That's why we should continue to work towards representing queer and trans voices in our government. We can organize for, volunteer for, and vote for queer and trans candidates to continue this rainbow wave.

Note: This article attempts to celebrate all history making LGBTQ+ victories for mayor, state legislature, or national legislature elections. If any names are missing from this article, it is not intentional. Please reach out to us, and we would be happy to include more LGBTQ+ victories!

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