Victory Fund releases demographic and other data on the 782 openly LGBTQ people who were on the ballot in 2020
Washington, DC – More openly LGBTQ candidates won elected office in 2020 than in any other election year in United States history. As of today, a total of 334 out LGBTQ candidates won their races out of the 782 known out LGBTQ candidates who appeared on the ballot in 2020. More than 1,006 LGBTQ candidates ran throughout 2020. Of the 782 known out LGBTQ candidates who were on the ballot, 390 were endorsed by LGBTQ Victory Fund.
Below are key takeaways and a demographic and informational breakdown of the 782 out LGBTQ candidates who were on the ballot in 2020 – looking at sexual orientation, gender identity, race/ethnicity, incumbency, office level, party affiliation, and whether they won or lost. A statement from Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, is also included below.
Among the key takeaways from the new data:
- 42.7 percent of known out LGBTQ candidates on the ballot won their races in 2020, and 57 percent of Victory Fund endorsed candidates were successful;
- In 2020, LGBTQ cisgender men ran in much higher numbers than LGBTQ cisgender women, yet the cisgender women candidates won at a higher rate (50 percent to 38.9 percent);
- 36.9 percent of known out trans women who ran for office in 2020 won their races;
- 35.7 percent of LGBTQ candidates who ran in 2020 were people of color and 37.1 percent won their races;
- In 2020, 76.4 percent of LGBTQ candidates ran as Democrats and 41.5 percent won, whereas 2 percent of LGBTQ candidates ran as Republicans and just 36.9 percent won.
Statement from Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund
“In one of the most vitriolic and unprecedented election cycles of our time, LGBTQ candidates continue winning elections in numbers and in parts of the country thought unthinkable a decade or two ago,” said Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund. “LGBTQ people span every community – we are people of color, women, immigrants, and people with disabilities – and we are able to use that life experience to connect with voters from many backgrounds. This beautiful diversity provides an opportunity to connect on some level with every single voter in America. That is the reason LGBTQ candidates are winning in unprecedented numbers, and this will only accelerate in the years ahead.”
Win/Loss & Demographic Breakdown of the 781 out LGBTQ candidates on the ballot in 2020
| 2020 LGBTQ Candidates | 2020 Total | Wins | Losses | To Runoff | Not Decided | Dropped/
Withdrew |
% Won |
| Victory Fund Endorsed LGBTQ Candidates | 390 | 222 | 154 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 57% |
| Non-Endorsed LGBTQ Candidates | 392 | 112 | 240 | 0 | 16 | 23 | 28% |
| All LGBTQ Candidates | 782 | 334 | 394 | 2 | 17 | 35 | 42.7% |
| Incumbency | 2020 Total | Wins | Losses | To Runoff | Not Decided | Dropped/
Withdrew |
% Won |
| Incumbents | 211 | 179 | 27 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 84% |
| Non-Incumbent | 571 | 155 | 371 | 2 | 9 | 34 | 27% |
| All LGBTQ Candidates | 782 | 334 | 398 | 2 | 13 | 35 | 42.7% |
| Office Level | 2020 Total | Wins | Losses | To Runoff | Not Decided | Dropped/
Withdrew |
% Won |
| Federal | 63 | 9 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 14.3% |
| Statewide | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| State Legislature | 327 | 139 | 175 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 42.5% |
| Judicial | 37 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 56.6% |
| Mayor | 20 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 26.3% |
| Local (not incl. mayor) | 325 | 160 | 148 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 49.2% |
| All LGBTQ Candidates | 782 | 334 | 398 | 2 | 13 | 35 | 42.7% |
| Gender Identity | 2020 Total | Wins | Losses | To Runoff | Not Decided | Dropped/
Withdrew |
% Won |
| Cisgender Men | 458 | 178 | 230 | 2 | 11 | 24 | 38.9% |
| Cisgender Women | 248 | 124 | 116 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 50% |
| Trans Men | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16.7% |
| Trans Women | 38 | 14 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36.9% |
| Gender Non-Conforming | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25% |
| Intersex | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Genderqueer/Non-binary | 13 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30.8% |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| Unknown | 27 | 11 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 40.7% |
| All LGBTQ Candidates | 782 | 334 | 397 | 2 | 13 | 35 | 42.7% |
| Sexual Orientation | 2020 Total | Wins | Losses | To Runoff | Not Decided | Dropped/
Withdrew |
% Won |
| Gay | 391 | 163 | 197 | 2 | 9 | 21 | 41.5% |
| Lesbian | 172 | 95 | 71 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 55.2% |
| Bisexual | 72 | 24 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33% |
| Pansexual | 17 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 35% |
| Queer | 55 | 22 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 40% |
| Asexual | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Heterosexual | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66% |
| Same-Gender Loving | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown | 67 | 22 | 42 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 32.8% |
| All LGBTQ Candidates | 782 | 334 | 400 | 2 | 15 | 33 | 42.7% |
| Race/Ethnicity | 2020 Total | Wins | Losses | To Runoff | Not Decided | Dropped/
Withdrew |
% Won |
| White/Caucasian | 502 | 210 | 262 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 41.8% |
| Asian/Asian Pacific Islander | 28 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 35.7% |
| African American/Black/ Afro-Caribbean | 91 | 36 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 39.6% |
| Latinx/Hispanic | 94 | 50 | 38 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 53.8% |
| Native American/
Alaska Native |
7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57.1% |
| Arab American/ Middle Eastern | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50% |
| Multiracial | 26 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 38.4% |
| Unknown | 32 | 13 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 40.1% |
| All LGBTQ Candidates | 782 | 334 | 398 | 2 | 13 | 35 | 42.7% |
| Party Affiliation | 2020 Total | Wins | Losses | To Runoff | Not Decided | Dropped/
Withdrew |
% Won |
| Democrat | 598 | 248 | 311 | 2 | 8 | 29 | 41.5% |
| Republican | 19 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36.9% |
| Independent | 14 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 35.7% |
| Libertarian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Green | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 13 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23.1% |
| Unknown | 136 | 71 | 62 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 52.2% |
| All LGBTQ Candidates | 782 | 334 | 398 | 2 | 13 | 35 | 42.7% |
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LGBTQ Victory Fund
LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.
