Transgender candidate wins, makes history in California

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Lisa Middleton made history Tuesday night by becoming the first transgender person elected to a non-judicial office in California, joining Christy Holstege, a young attorney, in victory to the City Council. 

Although not all the ballots had been counted, the gap between the top vote-getters and the others was significant. Shortly before 10 p.m. PT, Henry Hampton, who came in a distant third, conceded. 

“It’s all because of all of you that we are here tonight, celebrating a victory, a historic victory for our city and for our state,” Middle told supporters around 9 p.m.

Middleton and Holstege, combined, took nearly two-thirds of the vote, according to early returns. 

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Cheers erupted at both watch parties, as the candidates hugged family members and supporters. 

Holstege, the first Millennial to run for the City Council, said she was proud to be among the many young women who stepped up to run for office following the 2016 presidential race. This was her first time running for office. 

“Now is when we can say we didn’t know what we were doing,” she joked. “We figured it out just with hard work.” 

Meanwhile, in Virginia, Democrat Danica Roem, a former journalist, defeated incumbent Republican candidate Del. Bob Marshall Tuesday to become the first openly transgender elected official in the state.

Roem is now also set to make history as the first openly transgender person to be elected and seated in a state legislature. 

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Seattle Mayoral candidate Cary Moon, left, joins supporters waving signs on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, in Seattle. More than 90 years after Seattle elected Bertha Knight Landes as mayor, voters on Tuesday will elect a female mayor for the second time. Voters are choosing between Moon, an urban planner, and former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan to lead a city dealing with the benefits and problems of an economy booming for some more than others as e-commerce giant Amazon expands. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) ORG XMIT: WATW102 
Ted S. Warren, AP

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Contributing: William Cummings. Follow Jesse Marx on Twitter: @marxjesse

 

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