GLAAD CONGRATULATES WINNING LGBTQ CANDIDATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 2020 “RAINBOW WAVE” INCLUDING HISTORIC VICTORY FOR SARAH MCBRIDE IN DELAWARE; URGES CAUTION AND FULL COUNT OF VOTES IN PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Contact:
Barbara Simon
Head of News and Campaigns
bsimon@glaad.org

As votes are still tallied in key states to determine the presidential election outcome and control of the U.S. Senate, GLAAD celebrates victories by LGBTQ candidates

GLAAD: “Their victories represent a leap forward for LGBTQ acceptance and a demand for more of the progress and equality their very presence demonstrates. We can’t wait to see them shine in their new roles”

New York, NY, Tuesday, November 3, 2020 – GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, tonight congratulates out LGBTQ candidates elected to public office, in a record year of LGBTQ representation in races across the country. GLAAD is also urging news media to continue to exercise caution in this unprecedented year as votes are counted that will decide the country’s next president and control of the U.S. Senate.

“We continue to call on the news media to resist the urge and any pressure from campaigns to project a winner and rush the outcome in the race for President and control of the U.S. Senate until all votes are counted,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Americans have done their part in showing up to vote early, or mailing in ballots, or voting in person during this unprecedented time. They deserve the assurance that all votes will be counted accurately and all voices will be heard.”

GLAAD is congratulating the winners we do know about, including many openly LGBTQ candidates.  312 LGBTQ candidates were on the November ballot, and at least 35 have won so far

• Sarah McBride won a seat in the Delaware state senate, the first openly transgender person to be elected to a State Senate in the nation
• Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones will represent New York districts in the U.S. House of Representatives as the first out gay Afro-Latino and Black men, respectively, elected to Congress
• Michelle Rayner and Shevin Jones become the first out Black members of the Florida state House and Senate
• Taylor Small was elected Vermont’s first openly transgender state legislator
• Rep. Sharice Davids was re-elected to represent Kansas in the U.S. House and was the first openly LGBTQ Native American elected to Congress in 2018.

“Tonight’s wins for LGBTQ people of color and transgender Americans across the country are historic and long overdue,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “Their victories represent a leap forward for LGBTQ acceptance and a demand for more of the progress and equality that their very presence demonstrates. We can’t wait to see them shine in their new roles.”

We await additional results from more groundbreaking LGBTQ candidates including in Kansas, Colorado, Michigan, Texas and California. You can track their progress through The Victory Fund.