Park Cannon, who is running to replace Simone Bell as the state representative for Georgia’s 58th House District, handily won her primary runoff with 59 percent of the vote Tuesday.
Park’s special election bid to replace Simone will make history in Georgia: She’ll become the first openly LGBTQ legislator to replace another openly LGBTQ legislator in state history.
Turnout was predictably low, but still higher than the original primary on January 19. In unofficial results, Park earned 668 of the 1132 votes cast Tuesday.
Park – who identifies as queer – is expected to champion LGBTQ rights in the legislature.
“As a person who is outspoken about myself and outspoken about my truth, I hope to bring healing to people,” Park said in a December interview with The Georgia Voice. “I hope to bring excitement to our community who is marginalized and underrepresented.”
Park is a women’s health advocate at the Feminist Women’s Health Center, and serves on the board of the advocacy organization SisterSong.
