LGBTQ representation expands in Congress and statehouses across America
A record number of LGBTQ individuals, all Democrats, will serve in the next Congress after 17 out candidates won their races for either House or Senate in the 2026 midterm election cycle, which expectedly saw LGBTQ voters overwhelmingly favoring Democratic candidates. The general election also witnessed several historic “firsts” at the state level, with several … Read More
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A record number of LGBTQ individuals, all Democrats, will serve in the next Congress after 17 out candidates won their races for either House or Senate in the 2026 midterm election cycle, which expectedly saw LGBTQ voters overwhelmingly favoring Democratic candidates.
The general election also witnessed several historic "firsts" at the state level, with several states voting to elect out trans state lawmakers for the first time.
Several newcomers — including Representative Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, who will be the first out gay man in the Senate —will add to a growing list of out incumbents serving in both houses of Congress, which will be controlled by Democrats beginning in January. In addition to Pappas, who will join Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin as the only out members of the upper chamber, seven other out individuals will be entering Congress for the first time, with all of the others representing districts in the House of Representatives.
The new members of the House are Cait Conley of New York's 17th District, Jeremy Moss of Michigan's 11th District, JoAnna Mendoza of Arizona's Sixth District, Marni von Wilpert of California's 48th District, Scott Wiener of California's 11th District, JD Ford of Indiana's Fifth District, and Janelle Sarauw of the US Virgin Islands.
The new members will join by nine incumbents who won re-election: Sarah McBride of Delaware's at-large district, Robert Garcia of California's 42nd District, Becca Balint of Vermont's at-large district, Emily Randall of Washington's Sixth District, Eric Sorensen of Illinois' 17th District, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin's Second District, Mark Takano of California's 39th District, Ritchie Torres of New York's 15th District, and Sharice Davids of Kansas' Third District.
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The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, US, November 4, 2026.REUTERS/Umit Bektas[/caption]
LGBTQ representation also expanded at the state and local level. In Georgia, 33-year-old Bentley Hudgins, who won a state House race, will be the state's first out non-binary lawmaker, while Michigan's Joanna Whaley, Alabama's Allison Montgomery, Wisconsin's Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherfod, and Washington's Jaelynn Scott became the first out trans lawmakers in their respective states. Scott, according to The 19th, is the first out Black trans lawmaker in the US.
Other gains in LGBTQ representation were seen in New York State, where Jessica González-Rojas of Queens knocked off incumbent State Senator Jessica Ramos in the Democratic primary and went on to win her general election race, putting her in position to be the first out woman to serve in the New York State Senate. In the same state, Illapa Sairitupac of Queens and David Siffert of Manhattan, who won their races for State Assembly, will become the state's first out non-binary state lawmakers in the Empire State.
The growing roster of out LGBTQ lawmakers in Congress comes as NBC News exit polls show 86% of LGBTQ voters supported Democrats, while just 12% voted for Republican, which is consistent with exit polls in previous election cycles. Among non-LGBTQ voters, just a little more than half — 52% — of voters supported Democrats, while 46% backed Republicans.
Under a much different political environment in 2024, when President Donald Trump was re-elected, NBC News Exit Polls showed 86% of LGBTQ voters supported the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, while 12% supported Trump, the Republican nominee. Among non-LGBTQ voters in 2024, Trump had 53% compared to 45% for Harris.
The US Capitol building in Washington, DC, US, November 4, 2026.REUTERS/Umit Bektas[/caption]
LGBTQ representation also expanded at the state and local level. In Georgia, 33-year-old Bentley Hudgins, who won a state House race, will be the state's first out non-binary lawmaker, while Michigan's Joanna Whaley, Alabama's Allison Montgomery, Wisconsin's Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherfod, and Washington's Jaelynn Scott became the first out trans lawmakers in their respective states. Scott, according to The 19th, is the first out Black trans lawmaker in the US.
Other gains in LGBTQ representation were seen in New York State, where Jessica González-Rojas of Queens knocked off incumbent State Senator Jessica Ramos in the Democratic primary and went on to win her general election race, putting her in position to be the first out woman to serve in the New York State Senate. In the same state, Illapa Sairitupac of Queens and David Siffert of Manhattan, who won their races for State Assembly, will become the state's first out non-binary state lawmakers in the Empire State.
The growing roster of out LGBTQ lawmakers in Congress comes as NBC News exit polls show 86% of LGBTQ voters supported Democrats, while just 12% voted for Republican, which is consistent with exit polls in previous election cycles. Among non-LGBTQ voters, just a little more than half — 52% — of voters supported Democrats, while 46% backed Republicans.
Under a much different political environment in 2024, when President Donald Trump was re-elected, NBC News Exit Polls showed 86% of LGBTQ voters supported the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, while 12% supported Trump, the Republican nominee. Among non-LGBTQ voters in 2024, Trump had 53% compared to 45% for Harris. 
