An
unprecedented number of LGBTQ people have run for office throughout the
2018 election cycle – unleashing the potential for a Rainbow Wave of
new openly LGBTQ elected officials at every level of government come
November. The increase in candidates running is particularly noticeable
for Congressional and gubernatorial positions, when analyzing candidates
over the last five election cycles. The number of LGBTQ
women-identified nominees for Congress also rose dramatically.
These high-level candidates are among the more than 430 openly LGBTQ people who ran for office at every level of government this cycle. At least 244 openly LGBTQ candidates are still in the race and will appear on general election ballots in November. Of the 25 openly LGBTQ major party nominees for U.S. Congress and governor, all are Democrats.
In a new report from Victory Fund, we find out the:
- Number of major party Congressional nominees over the last five cycles by political affiliation and gender;
- Number of gubernatorial candidates and nominees over the last five cycles; and a
- Statement on the Rainbow Wave from Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of Victory Fund.
By the Numbers: LGBTQ Major Party Nominees for U.S. Congress
Twenty-one
openly LGBTQ candidates won Democratic primaries for U.S. Senate or
U.S. House this year – more than at any other time in U.S. history. The
unprecedented number of nominees marks a 24 percent increase when compared to the 2016 election cycle and a 320 percent increase since 2010. The number of LGBTQ women-identified nominees skyrocketed 160 percent since 2016, the year which held the previous record. There are 13
LGBTQ women-identified Congressional nominees this year – outnumbering
the number of men-identified nominees – including both U.S. Senate
nominees who are women.
There are zero known
LGBTQ Republican party nominees for U.S. Congress this election cycle,
the first time since 2010 there are no openly LGBTQ Republican
Congressional candidates on the general election ballot.
Currently
Senator Tammy Baldwin is the only openly LGBTQ person ever elected to
the U.S. Senate and there are six openly LGBTQ members of the U.S.
House.
A numerical chart of the number of nominees by cycle and a complete list of 2018 Congressional nominees are in addendum A.
By the Numbers: LGBTQ Gubernatorial Candidates
A record seven known LGBTQ candidates ran for governor during the 2018 election cycle and four received a major party nomination – a historic high. Incredibly, the four nominees represent the full LGBT acronym,
with one lesbian (Lupe Valdez of Texas), one gay man (Jared Polis of
Colorado), one bisexual woman (Kate Brown of Oregon) and one transgender
woman (Christine Hallquist of Vermont) to appear on the ballot in
November.
Before this election cycle, no more than three openly LGBTQ people had ever run for governor in one election cycle and never had more than one openly LGBTQ person been nominated for the governor’s office by a major party. All gubernatorial nominees have been Democrats.
Governor Kate Brown is the only openly LGBTQ person ever elected governor in the United States.
