Voters have sent a new wave of LGBTQ+ politicians to Congress and state legislatures in the 2026 midterms. From New Hampshire to Georgia, the results include historic firsts and hard-won re-election victories, offering a snapshot of how queer representation is changing across the country.

The 2026 midterms bring a rainbow wave

The 2026 midterms delivered more than a shift in party fortunes: LGBTQ+ candidates also secured a series of notable victories. In New Hampshire, Democrat Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate, while Michigan voters chose Jeremy Moss as their first out LGBTQ+ member of Congress. [2], [7]

Those milestones matter beyond the individuals involved. They put more openly LGBTQ+ voices in institutions where representation has long been limited, and show how voters in different parts of the country are shaping the next chapter of queer political life. [2], [7]

Sarah McBride and Sharice Davids return to Congress

Delaware voters re-elected Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person to serve in the US Congress. Her return follows a first term that drew national attention, including Republican efforts to restrict her access to women’s bathrooms in the Capitol. [3]

Kansas Representative Sharice Davids also won another term. A lesbian and Ho-Chunk Nation citizen, Davids has represented her state in the House since 2019 and remains one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. [5]

Historic firsts reach Georgia and Michigan

In Georgia, Bentley Hudgins won a seat in the state Assembly, becoming the state’s first openly transgender and nonbinary lawmaker. The victory gives the longtime Democratic organiser a place in the legislature and marks a notable breakthrough in the Deep South. [4]

Michigan’s Jeremy Moss moves from the state Senate to the US House after winning the 11th Congressional District. He becomes the state’s first out LGBTQ+ member of Congress, following a career that included work on explicit civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ residents. [7]

Familiar faces hold their seats

New York Representative Ritchie Torres won a fourth term in the Bronx. He was the first openly gay Afro-Latino member of Congress, and his win keeps a prominent LGBTQ+ voice in the House. [6]

Pennsylvania Representative Malcolm Kenyatta also secured re-election, winning a fifth term in the state House. He made history in 2018 as the first openly gay Black person elected to Pennsylvania’s legislature. [6]

What these results mean for representation

The winners span Congress and state legislatures, as well as regions with very different political cultures. Together, their victories show that LGBTQ+ representation isn’t confined to one office or one part of the country. [2], [4], [7]

For voters following LGBTQ+ politics, it’s worth looking beyond the headline-making firsts. Re-election wins matter, too: they give lawmakers more time to build relationships, advance policy and make their communities’ concerns harder to overlook. [3], [5], [6]

It's a landmark set of wins, with the work of representing those communities still ahead.

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