Tracking LGBT gains nationwide!

Now that the dust has settled from the midterm election held November 6, 2018 — well, other than the Florida Senate and Governer recount proceedings in play — we can clearly see that the LGBT community scored some great points throughout the nation.

Immediately after the election, we reported on two of our victories. One was the election win of Jared Polis, the first ever gay elected US governor — an achievement we all can be proud of.

Then there was the unseating of Kim Davis, the Rowan County, Kentucky clerk who garnered notoriety after refusing to issue marriage licenses when the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality — a lost for her and win for us.

That’s not all. There are more victories to add to the list — some LGBT gains and some noticeable losses that quite of few would say are much needed. Take for example Peter Boykin’s lost in the race for a North Carolina House seat. The Gays for Trump leader had no chance against the incumbent Democrat Amos Quick who received 76% of the vote.

let’s move on from what some categorize as necessary losses to now mention LGBT gains that deserve recognition. We start off with the double whammy in the Pennsylvania State House races. Openly gay candidates Brian Sims and Malcolm Kenyatta victories created a historical first in the Quaker State as not one but two LGBT individuals now sit on the State House at once.

Florida made history as well. Not once but twice. The gayborhood, Wilton Manors, is the first Florida city, and second in the nation after Palm Springs, California, to have an all-LGBT elected city commission. Adding to Florida’s LGBT victories is the win for Key West mayoral candidate Teri Johnston, the first openly elected lesbian to mayor in Florida.

We would like to end with a sweet story that by all means isn’t a direct election victory for our community but it’s as near and dear to our hearts as the ones that are LGBT achievements. Zach Wahls, the then-teenage son who went viral defending his lesbian mothers’ right to get married in an Iowaian court, was elected as an Iowian senator. Now, isn’t that something beautiful?