Celebrate Pride by recognising a worrying new reality: LGBTQ+ candidates face rising harassment, threats and violence that threaten representation across the US, and communities must act to safeguard who runs for office and how they campaign.

Essential Takeaways

  • Widespread fear: Nearly nine in 10 LGBTQ+ candidates say they fear harassment or attack, creating a chilling effect on participation.
  • Serious threats: About one in three report receiving death threats, and more than half have altered where or how they campaign for safety.
  • Disproportionate harm: Transgender candidates and candidates of colour face heightened risk, plus additional barriers like cost and lack of institutional support.
  • Practical needs: Investing in candidate safety, legal support, and anti-harassment enforcement helps protect voices and preserve representative democracy.

Why the numbers matter right now

The new Victory Institute report paints a stark picture: harassment and political violence are no longer rare anecdotes but a systemic problem that changes how campaigns run and who chooses to run. That nervous, tight feeling you get imagining a candidate cutting short a meet-and-greet because they don’t feel safe is exactly what the report documents, and it’s corrosive. According to Victory Institute and follow-up coverage, candidates are diverting precious time and money from voter contact to security, which shifts the very work of campaigning away from persuasion and toward protection.

What this looks like in practice

You don't need a political science degree to picture it: fewer local events, more guarded appearances, restricted door-knocking, and campaign teams living with the constant background hum of threats. Media coverage from LGBTQ Nation and other outlets shows the pattern, death threats, targeted harassment, even shots fired near campaign offices. Those incidents don’t just traumatise individuals; they raise the entry cost for anyone without deep pockets or institutional backing, shrinking the pipeline of diverse leaders.

Who is hit hardest and why it matters for representation

Transgender candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates of colour, and those running for hyper-local posts like school boards report particularly intense harassment. That’s important because local offices are where policy directly affects daily life, schools, housing, policing. When those seats aren’t accessible, communities lose perspectives that make government responsive. Victory Institute data also underscores a broader truth: representation isn’t symbolic. It’s practical. Having leaders who share lived experience changes policy priorities and policy outcomes.

Practical steps campaigns and communities can take

There are clear, actionable steps that help reduce risk without muzzling participation. Campaigns can budget early for security training, access legal counsel for online harassment, and adopt safer event formats. Local parties and civic groups should create rapid-response legal and mental-health support funds for targeted candidates. Election officials and law enforcement need better coordination and clear protocols for threats, and platforms must be pushed to enforce anti-harassment rules more effectively. Small changes, visibility plans, vetted volunteer lists, and safer meet-and-greet formats, add up.

What policymakers and institutions should do next

This isn’t just a grassroots problem; it’s a democratic one that needs institutional answers. Policymakers can fund candidate safety programs, strengthen laws against political intimidation, and require clearer reporting channels for threats. Non-profit groups and parties should prioritise outreach to underrepresented candidates and subsidise protective measures. Looking ahead, building a culture that denounces political violence and supports those targeted will be essential to keeping civic life open and accessible.

It's worth remembering that Pride celebrates progress, but progress depends on participation that is safe and sustained. Protecting candidates is protecting democracy.

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