Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims on
Tuesday announced his candidacy for Pennsylvania's 2nd
Congressional District.
Sims, a Democrat, is the first openly
gay person elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He
currently represents Philadelphia's City Center, a diverse district
in the heart of the city with a large LGBT presence.
“I've spent my life taking on big
challenges in order to do what's right,” Sims said in a statement.
“Whether tackling gender and pay equity as a civil rights attorney,
or standing up for justice reform in Harrisburg, I've never backed
down from the big fights. And I never will.”
Prior to entering politics, Sims, 37,
was a civil rights advocate and attorney at the Philadelphia Bar
Association.
In 2013, Sims and fellow Democrat Rep.
Steve McCarter introduced legislation that sought to allow gay and
lesbian couples to marry in Pennsylvania. He's also backed a
legislative proposal to prohibit therapies that attempt to alter the
sexuality of a minor who identifies as LGBT.
Pennsylvania's 2nd
Congressional District is currently held by Chaka Fattah, who is also
a Democrat.