For the first time, Raleigh will have LGBTQ representation on its city council, following the election of Victory Fund candidates Saige Martin and Jonathan Melton last Tuesday.
Saige unseated a 5-year incumbent in District D in Southwest Raleigh, while Jonathan emerged as the winner of an at-large council seat after finishing second in a field of six candidates vying for two at-large spots. Both candidates declared victory after their opponents declined to request a runoff.
On #NationalComingOutDay, two gay men win seats on the Raleigh City Council. https://t.co/QJg6pibpLA
— Thad Ogburn (@thadogburn) October 11, 2019
North Carolina is one of 28 states that don’t protect LGBTQ residents from discrimination under state law, and it’s been a favorite battleground for far-right culture warriors in recent years.
Nearby, Durham City Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tempore Jillian Johnson also won her election last week for a second term.
