These 3 LGBTQ Candidates Are Still Waiting to See if They've Won
Last night's midterm elections saw some major gains for out politicians around the country, including Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids, and Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, to name just a few.
But a handful of queer women candidates in key races are still waiting to see if they've won.
Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona
Sinema, who identifies as bisexual, is still neck-and-neck with Republican Marthy McSally, who's also vying to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate. (Notably, the seat was vacated by retired Sen. Jeff Flake, who made headlines when he voted to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh despite heated allegations of sexual assault against the judge.)
As of 1pm EST today, The New York Times reports McSally in the lead, but the margin—less than a percentage point—is so slim that the race is far too close to call.
If Sinema wins, it'll be a bump up for the out politician, who's served as a representative for Arizona's 9th congressional district since 2013.
On Twitter this morning, Sinema thanked her supporters for showing up to the polls and ensured that all ballots, including those that were mailed in, will be counted.
Katie Hill, California
Hill, a congressional candidate in California's 25th house district who also identifies as bisexual, is still facing off against her opponent, Republican incumbent Steve Knight. As of 1pm EST, The Times reports Hill at a 51.3% lead. However, the race is still considered too close to name a winner.
The out candidate, advocate for the homeless, and former nonprofit leader took to Twitter to thank her constituents and share that she's "so encouraged by these numbers."
Gina Ortiz Jones, Texas
Gubernatorial hopeful Beto O'Rourke wasn't the only Texas Democrat to surprise voters around the country with a solid race: Jones, who's running for Congress in Texas' 23rd district, is giving Republican incumbent Will Hurd a run for his money. As of 1pm EST, The Times says the race is way too close to call, with Hurd showing a lead of just 0.3%.
Ortiz Jones, an Army vet and former intelligence officer, could make history in a few ways if she secures the spot. She'd become the first lesbian, first woman, first Iraqi War veteran, and the first Filipina-American to serve Texas' 23rd congressional district, reports The Daily Beast.
Like Sinema, Ortiz Jones shared a statement to her Twitter followers ensuring that all votes—including those from provisional, absentee, and military/overseas ballots—matter and would be counted.