Six States Elect First Transgender Officials in Midterm Vote
Democratic candidates won seats in legislatures and local boards across the South, Midwest, and West Coast in November 2026 elections.
By Javier Sanders ·
Six U.S. states elected their first transgender representatives to public office during the November 2026 midterm elections. Projections from NBC, CNN, and CBS confirmed wins in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Washington, and Wisconsin. The victories included legislative seats and local board positions.
The results in the Deep South drew particular attention due to the region's conservative history. Bentley Hudgins, a non-binary Democrat, secured a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives for District 90. Hudgins defeated Republican Samantha Boston with 92.5% of the vote. This win also made Hudgins the first person of Japanese descent in the Georgia legislature. Hudgins identified stopping attacks by President Donald Trump and the Republican Party on Georgia residents as a top priority.
In Alabama, Democrat Allison Montgomery took the District 25 seat from Republican Phillip Rigsby. This victory was part of three flips in the northern part of the state that turned blue. Scott Stadthagen, the chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, had referred to Montgomery and another transgender Democratic candidate as men with mental disorders during the campaign.
Quinnie Pérez, a candidate of Mexican descent, became Florida’s first elected transgender official. Pérez won a seat on the Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District 1 Board of Supervisors. The campaign focused on supporting farmworkers and protecting local biodiversity.
Midwestern and Pacific Northwest states also recorded historic firsts. Joanna Whaley, a hospital chaplain, became the first transgender person elected to the Michigan state legislature. Jaelynn Scott won a seat in the Washington state legislature and became the first Black transgender state legislator in the United States. Dina Nina Martínez-Rutherford won the state-level race in Wisconsin. Whaley described herself as a survivor of years of conversion therapy before her election.
The elections took place on November 3, 2026. The wins marked the first time transgender individuals held elected positions in these six states simultaneously.
