40 LGBTQ+ Candidates Running For Office In 2022
Queering the vote
Despite a record number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills this year, queer candidates are campaigning across the country for elected positions at every level of government.
Dozens of candidates have the potential to make history if they win, and with the Supreme Court hinting at erasing queer rights, the more queer people in office the better.
Here are over three dozen different LGBTQ+ candidates running in the upcoming 2022 elections. Scroll to the end to find more information about LGBTQ+ candidates in your state!
1.Becca Balint — Vermont
Becca Balint was the first woman and queer person to serve as the Vermont Senate President Pro Tempore and is aiming to become the first woman and queer person in the US House of Representatives from Vermont.
2.Jasmine Beach-Ferrara — North Carolina
After beating a popular republican opponent for county commissioner, Jasmine Beach-Ferrara is now campaigning to become the first LGBTQ+ person elected to a federal position in North Carolina.
3.Sharice Davids — Kansas
The first LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from Kansas and one of the only Native American women ever elected to the US House faces a tough battle in her recently gerrymandered district as the only Kansas democrat.
4.Tina Kotek — Oregon
Currently the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, Kotek has over a decade of experience advocating for queer equality and is campaigning to become one of the first ever lesbian governors of any state in America.
5.Danica Roem — Virginia
After making history in the Virginia House of Delegates as one of the first transgender people elected in America, Danica Roem is hoping to bring her work to the Virginia State Senate.
6.Robert Garcia — California
The queer Mayor of Long Beach got reelected with over 80% of the vote four years ago and is looking for the same success to make him the first out immigrant elected to Congress.
7.Maura Healey — Massachusetts
The current Attorney General of Massachusetts and former Harvard graduate is hoping to become one of the first lesbian governors in America.
8.Patrick Branco — Hawaii
A lifelong resident of Hawaii, Branco is seeking to become the first LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from the state.
9.Heather Mizeur — Maryland
Mizeur has been a policy pro for almost two-plus decades, including serving as John Kerry’s Domestic Policy Director and as a longtime member of the Maryland General Assembly. She is aiming to become the first LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from Maryland.
10.Kris Mayes — Arizona
Mayes wants to use their time as Arizona Corporation Commissioner to help consumers as Arizona's Attorney General. If she succeeds, she will be the first LGBTQ+ Attorney General in Arizona history.
11.Chris Pappas — New Hampshire
Chris Pappas is the first out gay person elected to Congress from New Hampshire and is running for reelection this year.
12.Jamie McLeod-Skinner — Oregon
After building a wildly successful grassroots political campaign four years ago, Jamie McLeod-Skinner is running to become the first LGBTQ+ person in the House of Representatives from Oregon.
13.Eric Sorensen — Illinois
Meteorologist Eric Sorensen is aiming to be the first LGBTQ+ person from Illinois in the House of Representatives.
14.Zooey Zephyr — Montana
Inspired by firsthand discrimination, Zooey Zephyr is running to become the first queer transgender woman ever elected in Montana.
15.Will Rollins — California
After working with California to prosecute those involved in the January 6th insurrection, Will Rollins is running to become the second queer person elected to Congress from the state.
16.Leigh Finke — Minnesota
Leigh Finke has spent their entire life advocating for progressive causes like abortion rights, queer youth, trans liberation, and more, which she hopes to bring to the Minnesota State Legislature as the first ever transgender lawmaker in the state.
17.Izzy Smith-Wade-El — Pennsylvania
After serving two terms on the Lancaster City Council, Izzy Smith-Wade-El is running to become the first nonbinary person in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
18.Erick Russell — Connecticut
A lawyer with a background in progressive activism, Erick Russell is running to become the first Black LGBTQ+ person elected at a statewide level in the country.
19.Jason Hoskins — Michigan
Currently a Southfield City Council member, Jason Hoskins is running to become the first black LGBTQ+ person in the Michigan House of Representatives.
20.James Michael Bowers — Nebraska
James Michael Bowers is running off of his success as the Chair of the Lincoln City Council to try and become the first gay man elected to the Nebraska Legislature.
21.Liz Bennett — Iowa
Liz Bennett became the first ever queer person in the Iowa House of Representatives in 2014 and is hoping to become the first queer person in the Iowa State Senate this year.
22.Christian Manuel Hayes — Texas
After working in Texas politics for almost 20 years, Christian Manuel Hayes is running to become the first Black queer man elected to the Texas House of Representatives.
23.LaWana Mayfield — North Carolina
LaWana Mayfield has been involved in Charlotte, North Carolina politics for over a decade and is aiming to become the first LGBTQ+ Black woman elected for a citywide position in Charlotte.
24.Elinor Levin — Iowa
Elinor Levin is running to bring more LGBTQ+ representation to the Iowa State House of Representatives.
25.Eunic Ortiz — Florida
After 15 years of queer activism, Eunic Ortiz is running to be one of the first lesbians in the Florida State Senate.
26.Zachary Parker — Washington DC
The current leader of the DC State Board of Education, Zachary Parker is hoping to be the first queer Black man on the DC City Council.
27.Janelle Perez — Florida
Cancer survivor Janelle Perez is running to be one of the first lesbians in the Florida State Senate.
28.Angie Craig — Minnesota
Angie Craig was the first queer person elected to the House of Representatives from Minnesota in 2018 and is facing a tough reelection fight later this year.
29.Daniel Hernandez — Arizona
A former school board member and current member of the Arizona House of Representatives, Daniel Hernandez is running to become the second LGBTQ+ Latinx person in the US House of Representatives.
30.Mondaire Jones — New York
Mondaire Jones was one of the first two LGBTQ+ Black people elected to Congress and is running for reelection this year.
31.Jared Polis — Colorado
Jared Polis is running for reelection as the first and only gay governor in America.
32.Joshua Tenorio — Guam
Joshua Tenorio is hoping to continue his work as the first out LGBTQ person elected Lt. Governor in the United States as he runs for reelection in Guam.
33.Ritchie Torres — New York
The first LGBTQ Afro-Latinx person elected to the US Congress, Ritchie Torres has over a decade of LGBTQ+ activism experience in New York City.
34.Sean Patrick Maloney — New York
The first ever gay man elected to Congress from New York, Sean Patrick Maloney is running for reelection later this year.
35.Dana Nessel — Michigan
After becoming the second queer Attorney General in the nation, Dana Nessel is running for reelection as Michigan Attorney General in this year's midterms.
36.Mark Pocan — Wisconsin
Mark Pocan was one of the first queer people elected to Congress from Wisconsin and is running for reelection during the upcoming midterms.
37.Mark Takano — California
Mark Takano of California is running to continue being one of the only queer AAPI people elected to Congress.
38.Ben Bowman — Oregon
Ben Bowman is running to become the youngest LGBTQ+ person in the Oregon House of Representatives.
39.Karla Drenner — Georgia
Karla Drenner is looking for reelection as the first queer person elected to the Georgia House of Representatives.
40.Jim Obergefell — Ohio
You may recognize his name from the landmark bill that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, but Jim Obergefell is hoping to continue his activism into the Ohio state legislature.
List of LGBTQ+ voting resources by state
For a list of even more LGBTQ+ candidates at all levels of government, check out your state below, and check here for more resources on voter ID laws, voter registration, and more on queer legislation.
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdaho
KansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming