Ten LGBT Non-Incumbent Candidates Running For Congress
- By
- Carlos Santoscoy
- | November 03, 2016
Ten openly LGBT non-incumbent candidates are seeking election to Congress this year.
Two of the candidates are openly transgender – the first to win the backing of a major U.S. political party. Another candidate would make history if elected by being the first out lesbian member of Congress with children.
While Congress' six out Democratic House members – Jared Polis of Colorado, David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Mark Takano of California, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin and Sean Patrick Maloney of New York – appear likely to keep their seats, the prospects for the non-incumbent candidates looks less rosy.
Business executive Angie Craig, a lesbian Democrat, is polling 5 percentage points ahead of her GOP rival Jason Lewis to represent Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, which includes the suburbs of the Twin Cities. She is raising four children with her wife Cheryl Greene.
The other nine candidates face steep odds, the Washington Blade reported.
In Kentucky, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray is attempting to unseat Republican Senator Rand Paul. Polls have Gray trailing Paul by 16 percentage points.
Another Senate candidate, Misty Snow, a transgender Democrat, is facing a daunting task in challenging Utah Senator Mike Lee, who has a 39 point lead.
Another transgender candidate, Army veteran Misty Plowright, is challenging Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn, a five-term incumbent. In 2014, Lamborn received 59.8 percent of the vote.
In Connecticut, Clay Cope, a gay Republican, has a steep climb in his bid to unseat two-term incumbent Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat.
Controversial Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu is trailing his Democratic rival, Tom O'Halleran, by 10 percentage points in his bid to represent the people of Arizona's 1st congressional district.
(Related: Ben Carson endorses Paul Babeu for U.S. House.)
The other candidates include Democrats Bao Nguyen of California, Brady Walkinshaw of Washington, Matt Heinz of Arizona and Denise Juneau of Montana, all of whom are running for the House.