Historic Victories: Over 200 LGBTQ+ Candidates Win in 2023 Elections
By Dolores Quintana
In a historic election year, over 200 out LGBTQ+ candidates secured victories, with 148 emerging triumphant tonight, marking a new record for any odd-numbered U.S. election year, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. All of the elections are not over yet, and all the votes aren’t counted, but the total number of successful LGBTQ+ candidates is anticipated to increase, surpassing the previous record of 184 victories achieved in 2021.
The year 2023 witnessed an unprecedented surge in the participation of LGBTQ+ candidates, with a record-breaking total of at least 514 individuals running for various offices. Of these, 312 LGBTQ+ candidates appeared on the ballots today, as documented in the Out on the Trail report by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, expressed her sentiments regarding this historic election night:
“Despite the efforts of bigoted politicians to exploit LGBTQ+ individuals for political gain, voters resoundingly rejected such cynical tactics. Nationwide, anti-LGBTQ attacks proved ineffective, notably in Virginia. Tonight, we have elected an exceptional number of LGBTQ+ candidates ready to serve their communities. This rainbow wave of success underscores the enduring influence of LGBTQ+ political engagement and provides a preview of what to expect in the 2024 election cycle. It is a testament that equality prevails in elections, triumphing over divisive culture war strategies.”
The 2023 election year also witnessed an unprecedented surge in LGBTQ+ candidates’ participation during odd-numbered election cycles. In the previous 2023 election cycle, 53 LGBTQ+ candidates won their elections. This cycle sees impressive double-digit wins in three states: New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The wins in Virginia include trans legislator Danica Rohm, and the Democrats have taken both houses of the Virginia Senate. Fabian Nelson has won his seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
The results so far, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund’s official tally, are 87 wins and four candidates who will face a runoff:
Colorado Alison Coombs Aurora City Council Win
Connecticut Caroline Smith New Haven City Council Ward 9 Win
Connecticut Karen Martin East Haven Town Council District 2 Win
Connecticut Jeffrey Litke Naugatuck School Board Win
Florida Damian Pardo Miami City CommissionDistrict 2 Runoff
Florida Michael Gongora Mayor of Miami Beach Runoff
Iowa Aime Wichtendahl Hiawatha City Council At-Large Win
Iowa Christopher Miculinich Decorah City Council Ward 2 Win
Indiana Ali Brown Indianapolis City Council District 10 Win
Indiana Zach Cramer Lawrence Common Council District 5 Win
Indiana Nicole Bolden Bloomington City Clerk Win
Kentucky Susan Lamb Fayette County Clerk Win
Massachusetts Ashley Shade North Adams City Council Win
Massachusetts Patrick Kavey Pittsfield City Council Ward 5 Win
Massachusetts Liz Breadon Boston City Councilor District 9 Win
Massachusetts Christian Dumais Mayor of Marlborough Win
Massachusetts Peter Marchetti Mayor of Pittsfield Win
Massachusetts Dina Lampiasi Pittsfield City Council Ward 6 Win
Massachusetts Andrew Fitch North Adams City Council Win
Massachusetts Pat DeAngelis Amherst Town Council District 2 Win
Maryland James Kole Laurel City Council Ward 1 Win
Michigan Donnie Johnson Ferndale City Council At-Large Win
Minnesota Jason Chavez Minneapolis City Council Ward 9 Win
Mississippi Fabian Nelson Mississippi House of Representatives District 66 Win
Mississippi Justin Lofton County Supervisor District 1 Win
North Carolina Eliazar Posada Carrboro Town Council Win
North Carolina Matt Hughes Hillsborough Board of Commissioners Win
North Carolina David Joyner Wilmington City Council Win
North Carolina LaWana Mayfield Charlotte City Council Win
North Carolina Catherine Fray Carrboro Town Council Win
North Carolina Anthony Sutton Waynesville City Council Win
New Hampshire Matthew Gerding Mayor of Somersworth Win
New Hampshire Robbie Warach Dover City Council Ward 2 Win
New Jersey John Kashwick Clinton Town Council Win
New Jersey Richard Rosen Voorhees School Board Win
New Jersey Jo Miller Woodbury City Council Win
New York Crystal Hudson New York City Council District 35 Win
New York TiffanyCabán New York City Council District 22 Win
New York Erik Bottcher New York City Council District 3 Win
New York Lynn Schulman New York City Council District 29 Win
New York Jimmy Monto Syracuse Common Council District 5 Win
New York Peter Criswell Ulster County Legislature District 7 Win
New York Marsha Silverman Glen Cove City Council Win
New York Heather Waters Manlius Town Board Win
New York Brian Fassett Peekskill City Council Win
New York Alexander Marion Syracuse City Auditor Win
New York Anula Courtis Woodstock Town Board Win
New York Craig Brendli Dutchess County Legislator District 8 Win
Ohio Taylor Sappington Nelsonville City Auditor Win
Ohio Reggie Harris Cincinnati City Council Win
Ohio Cynthia Strebig Lakewood City Council Ward 3 Win
Ohio Brittney Klockowski Weston City Council Win
Ohio Robert McDowall III Mogadore Village Council Win
Ohio Melody N. Mayle Golf Manor Village Council Win
Ohio Damon Sherry Bowling Green City Council Ward 1 Win
Ohio Charlotte Bruewer Golf Manor Village Council Win
Ohio Lori Trent Upper Arlington School Board Win
Ohio Sandra Kurt City Clerk of the Akron Municipal Court Win
Pennsylvania Tyler Titus Erie City Council Win
Pennsylvania Rue Landau Philadelphia City Council Win
Pennsylvania Chesley Lightsey Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Win
Pennsylvania Lori Schreiber Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Win
Pennsylvania Daniel Kolbe State College Area School Board Win
Pennsylvania Damien Warsavage Upper Darby School Board Win
Pennsylvania Ashley Smith Franklin City Council District 2 Win
Pennsylvania Brad Iannuzzi Etna City Council Ward 1 Win
Pennsylvania Amelia McMillan Central York School Board Win
Pennsylvania Katrina Eames Northgate School Board Win
Pennsylvania James Sabatino Luzerne County Council Win
Pennsylvania Jess Branas Upper Darby Town Council District 2 Win
Pennsylvania Andrea Ditillo Churchill Borough Council Win
Texas Nick Hellyar Houston City Council Group 2, At-Large Runoff
Texas Mario Castillo Houston City Council District H Runoff
Virginia Karl Frisch Fairfax County School Board Providence District Win
Virginia Danica Roem Virginia State Senate District 30 Win
Virginia Rozia Henson Virginia House of Delegates District 19 Win
Virginia Adam Ebbin Virginia State Senate District 39 Win
Virginia Adele McClure Virginia House of Delegates District 2 Win
Virginia Michael Pruitt Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Scottsville District Wi
Virginia Laura Jane Cohen Virginia House of Delegates District 15 Win
Virginia Robyn Lady Fairfax County School Board Dranesville District Win
Virginia Kyle McDaniel Fairfax County School Board Win
Virginia Kelly Convirs-Fowler Virginia House of Delegates District 96 Win
Virginia Mark Sickles Virginia House of Delegates District 17 Win
Virginia Michael Sutphin Blacksburg Town Council Win
Virginia Will Mackintosh Fredericksburg City Council Win
Virginia Marcia Price Virginia House of Delegates District 85 WinWashington State Yoshiko Grace Matsui Des Moines City Council Win
