Out Virginia state Delegate Danica Roem, a Democrat, is being challenged by a Republican opposed to marriage equality.

Roem in 2017 became the first openly transgender person to be elected and seated in a U.S. state legislature.

In November, she will face Christopher Stone, the Republican nominee vying to unseat her.

Speaking with the Washington Blade, Stone said that he's opposed to marriage and adoption rights for gay and lesbian couples.

Stone is a U.S. Air Force veteran and former graduate school professor.

“A lot of people that I talk to are concerned that the way the laws are written you are protecting one group and infringing upon the constitutional freedoms of another,” he said.

“But you don't just ignore those people. You accommodate both sides. I don't like laws aimed at a single group or giving protections to one side. That is how a lot people see LGBTQ laws,” he said.

Stone criticized the Supreme Court's 2015 ruling that legalized marriage for gay couples in all states, saying it was an example of judges “legislating from the bench.”

Sean Meloy, vice president of political programs at the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said that Roem's record clearly shows that she's “striving to create a more inclusive Virginia.”

“While Del. Roem is hard at work, her opponent has decried mask mandates, supports extremist protesters in Loudoun County and called for an investigation of the 2020 election,” Meloy said. “Virginia voters are savvy, and they know when a candidate has their backs – which is why they’ve elected Del. Roem twice and will reelect her once again this November.”

Roem told the outlet that marriage equality was a settled issue.

“If you have marriage equality, you can't possibly tell an LGBTQ couple that they can't adopt children,” she said. “What a horrible thing to tell any loving parent. We already litigated the hell out of this.”