Six states elect first transgender officials
Midterm results show historic wins in conservative Southern districts and Northern legislative chambers.
By Harper Foster ·
Nine out of ten votes in one Georgia district went to a transgender candidate, marking a decisive shift in state politics. Projections from NBC, CNN, and CBS indicate that six U.S. states elected their first transgender representatives to public office during the midterm elections. The states include Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The victories in the Deep South drew particular attention due to the region's conservative history. In Georgia, Bentley Hudgins, a nonbinary Democrat, secured the House seat for the 90th district. Hudgins defeated Republican Samantha Boston with 92.5% of the vote. This win also makes Hudgins the first person of Japanese descent in the Georgia Legislature. The candidate cited stopping attacks by President Donald Trump and the Republican Party as a primary goal.
In Alabama, Democrat Allison Montgomery took the 25th district seat from Republican Phillip Rigsby. This victory contributed to three electoral flips in the northern part of the state, which turned blue in these legislative races. Montgomery faced criticism during the campaign from Scott Stadthagen, the chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. Stadthagen referred to Montgomery and another transgender Democratic candidate as men with mental disorders.
Florida saw its first elected transgender official in Quinnie Pérez, who has Mexican ancestry. Pérez won a seat on the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District board for District 1. The campaign focused on supporting agricultural workers and protecting local biodiversity.
Northern states also recorded firsts in their legislative assemblies. Joanna Whaley, a hospital chaplain, became the first transgender person elected to the Michigan state legislature. Whaley previously described themselves as a survivor of years of conversion therapy. Jaelynn Scott won a seat in the Washington state legislature and became the first Black transgender state legislator in the United States. Dina Nina Martínez-Rutherford also won her state-level contest in Wisconsin.
These elections concluded with the certification of these new members. The results stand as a concrete change in the composition of state legislatures and local boards across the country. Each winner now holds a formal seat in their respective government body.
