Kyrsten Sinema
U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema was declared the winner in the U.S. Senate race in Arizona, becoming the first openly bisexual person elected to the U.S. Senate and the second openly LGBT person ever elected to the upper house of Congress.
Sinema joins U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and eight other openly LGBT people who have won their races for U.S. Congress so far — a historic number. Currently. only seven openly LGBT members serve in Congress.
“An LGBTQ woman winning a U.S. Senate seat in a state that voted for Trump is a game-changer, both for the LGBTQ community and the Democratic party,” Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund wrote in a press release. “Kyrsten’s victory makes clear that an LGBTQ candidate who listens to voters and prioritizes their issues can win elected office anywhere — blue state or red state. It also signals to the Democratic party that nominating more LGBTQ candidates for high-level positions should be a strategic priority, because their openness and authenticity resonates with independent voters. Now Kyrsten joins Senator Tammy Baldwin, fresh off a huge reelection victory, in a U.S. Senate that continues to disregard White House attacks on our community and refuses to consider protections that most Americans support. By doubling our influence with two passionate and tough LGBTQ women, however, the U.S. Senate will certainly find our community more difficult to ignore.”
— David Taffet
