LGBTQ candidates saw big election wins, with several historic victories
More than 1,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer candidates ran for elected office this year, with hundreds winning their respective races.
More than 1,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates ran for elected office this year, vying for seats in Congress, state legislatures and various local races across nearly every state. While a number of these races have yet to be called, hundreds of queer candidates have already emerged victorious as of Friday, including many who made history.
At least 1,017 out LGBTQ candidates ran for election this year, a 1.1% increase compared with 2020, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, a political organization that tracks and supports LGBTQ candidates for elected office. Of the total number of LGBTQ candidates, 668 made it to the general election.
Over 90% of the total number of candidates were Democrats, and they ran in every state except Nebraska, seeing wins in at least 40 states, along with Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., the organization found. This year’s LGBTQ candidate pool was also more diverse than ever, with 37.6% of candidates being LGBTQ people of color and 15.2% not cisgender.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund endorsed and tracked 477 of the LGBTQ candidates who made it to the general election. As of Friday afternoon, about three-quarters of those races had been called, with LGBTQ candidates having a success rate of approximately 80%.
“Candidates performed very well overall on election night, with historic firsts in many key races and increased representation in the U.S. House and retaining presence in the U.S. Senate,” Sean Meloy, vice president of political programs for LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, told NBC News. “These wins are hopeful, especially as their voices in federal government will be critical under the next administration.”
Rating: 5