Historic Election Night Victories for Trans Candidates

Transgender candidates across the nation won historic races Tuesday night - including Danica Roem, who will become the first openly trans person to win and serve in a state legislature. Four trans candidates won their state and local elections, with one more possible as results trickle in, almost doubling the number of trans elected officials in the country and solidifying 2017 as the year of the trans candidate.

"Hostile political forces at every level of government are targeting the trans community with legislation and policies that deny their equality," said Aisha C. Moodie-Mills, President & CEO of Victory Fund. "Tonight was about fighting back -- an unprecedented number of brilliant trans candidates asking for the votes of tens of thousands of Americans, and getting them. They are victorious because they focused on the local issues that matter most to their constituents - better schools, improved transportation and civil rights for all people. But it is also an undeniably historic night for the LGBTQ movement and trans equality, having moved the needle on what is possible for a trans leader who aspires to run for office and make positive change. Now we have more trans voices in the halls of power, and 2017 will be remembered as the year of the trans candidate."

Victory Fund invested heavily in its trans endorsed candidates this cycle, bundling hundreds of thousands of dollars in down-ballot races to dramatically increase the number of trans elected officials in the country. It sent staff to get out the vote for Danica Roem, Andrea Jenkins, and Phillipe Cunningham, and provided regular campaign strategy sessions to help them target constituents and get out the vote.