Sat. November 10, 2012
More than 100 openly gay candidates won election to public offices across the United States on Tuesday.
On a national level, six and as many as seven openly LGBT candidates are headed to Congress, including Wisconsin Senator-elect Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay member of the U.S. Senate.
"This wasn't incremental progress. This was a breathtaking leap forward," said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, a group which supports openly gay candidates. "Tammy Baldwin's victory in the face of tens of millions of dollars in super PAC spending against her is a testament to the enormous power of people who believe in and fight for progress, fairness and equality. LGBT candidates and their allies this year showed we are willing to engage fully in the political process to win the freedom we deserve."
Seven state legislatures gained their first LGBT lawmakers this election cycle, including North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia, New Mexico, Texas and Pennsylvania. Florida's gay representation went from zero to two.
According to the Victory Fund, 121 candidates out of 180 endorsed by the group won on Tuesday. Two races remain too close to call.
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