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Danica Roem Elected as Virginia's First Openly Transgender State Senator

Roem, who previously made history as the nation’s first openly transgender state lawmaker, defeats conservative Republican Bill Woolf, who intended to bar transgender athletes from school sports; her victory contributes to the Democratic party maintaining control over the state Senate.

Overview

  • Danica Roem, a Democrat, has become the first openly transgender state senator in Virginia, defeating conservative Republican Bill Woolf who had plans to prohibit transgender athletes from participating in school sports.
  • Roem's victory follows her historical ascend in 2017 as the nation’s first openly transgender state lawmaker when she was elected to Virginia’s House of Delegates.
  • Roem's campaign priorities included infrastructure issues, school resources and LGBTQ+ rights, and also responded to criticisms of support for transgender student-athletes and accusations of not protecting women’s sports.
  • Despite facing strong anti-transgender sentiment during her campaign, Roem's win is recognized as a testament to the growing power of LGBTQ+ representation in politics.
  • Roem's win has contributed to the Democrats' successful night in Virginia, allowing the party to maintain control of the state Senate and gain a majority in the state House of Delegates, which can work against the attempts to enact conservative policies, including anti-transgender legislation and a proposed 15-week abortion ban, by Governor Glenn Youngkin.