The next U.S. Congress is set to make history as the most LGBTQ+-inclusive legislative body ever, with at least 17 openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender lawmakers elected in this week’s midterms. The Congressional Equality Caucus declared the 120th Congress would be the “gayest in history” following a wave of Democratic victories that expanded LGBTQ+ representation on Capitol Hill.
Breaking Barriers
New Hampshire Democrat Chris Pappas made history as the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating former Republican Senator John Sununu. Meanwhile, Delaware’s Sarah McBride, one of the nation’s highest-profile transgender politicians, secured re-election to the House of Representatives.
In deep-red Indiana, Democrat JD Ford pulled off an upset victory to become the state’s first openly gay member of Congress, flipping a seat that hadn’t elected a Democrat since 1990. Michigan also elected its first openly gay congressman, state senator Jeremy Moss, who will replace Rep. Haley Stevens after her unsuccessful Senate bid.
Returning Champions
Several established LGBTQ+ lawmakers won re-election, including Wisconsin’s Tammy Baldwin (the Senate’s first openly lesbian member), Kansas’ Sharice Davids (heading to her fifth term), and New York’s Ritchie Torres (beginning his fourth term). Other returning members include Wisconsin’s Mark Pocan, Arizona’s JoAnna Mendoza, and Illinois’ Eric Sorensen.
Intersectional Firsts
The election also saw historic firsts for Muslim representation, with Abdul El-Sayed poised to become the first Muslim U.S. senator. Several Muslim House members were re-elected or newly elected, including André Carson (D-IN), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
The Congressional Equality Caucus celebrated the results on social media, tweeting: “The American people have made their voices heard. The 120th Congress will officially be the GAYEST Congress in history! (that we know of) Let’s get to work.”
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/rainbow-wave-we-now-have-the-gayest-congress-in-history