Lori Lightfoot wins and will also become the only Black lesbian mayor in the nation
Washington, DC – Chicago mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot trounced her opponent tonight and will become the highest-ranking LGBTQ mayor in American history and the only Black openly lesbian mayor serving anywhere in the nation. Just two openly lesbian women have served as mayors of a top 100 city – former Houston Mayor Annise Parker and current Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan. Mayor Parker, now President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, was the highest-ranking LGBTQ person ever elected mayor in the U.S. until Lightfoot’s victory tonight. Victory Fund endorsed Lightfoot in December 2018 when many questioned her viability in a crowded primary race with 13 opponents.
Mayor Annise Parker is on-the-ground in Chicago at the Lightfoot Victory Party and is available to speak with media. Contact Elliot Imse, Senior Director of Communications at Victory Fund, at 646.957.4740 or elliot.imse@victoryfund.org to request an interview this evening or tomorrow.
“A Black lesbian taking power in the nation’s third-largest city is a historic moment for so many communities that are too often ignored in American politics,” said Mayor Parker. “Chicago’s enormous influence on the national dialogue provides a platform for Lori to promote more inclusive solutions to the challenges facing our cities and nation – and to be a credible messenger as well. Lori will certainly remain focused on the issues facing Chicago. But as the highest-ranking LGBTQ person ever elected mayor of an American city – a title she takes from me – she is also now a key leader in the movement to build LGBTQ political power nationwide.”
Lightfoot was the marquee race in Victory Fund’s efforts to make 2019 the Year of the Lesbian Mayor. Three lesbian mayoral candidates –Lightfoot in Chicago, Satya Rhodes-Conway in Madison, Wisconsin, and Jolie Justus in Kansas City – all had elections tonight. Neither the run-off race for Rhodes-Conway or the primary race for Justus have been called as of 8:45pm ET. Lesbian mayoral candidate Jane Castor competes in a run-off on April 23 that will determine the next mayor of Tampa.
If all three lesbian mayoral candidates join Lightfoot in claiming victory, America will triple the number of out lesbians to have served as mayors of top 100 cities (from two to six). More information about the Year of the Lesbian Mayor is available online.
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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.
