Tonight Ty Penserga won the Boynton Beach mayoral election. With this historic victory, Penserga is now the first out LGBTQ mayor ever elected in Boynton Beach. He is also the first out LGBTQ AAPI mayor elected in Florida state history. There are currently only three out LGBTQ mayors in Florida – Jane Castor in Tampa, Teri Johnston in Key West, and Dean Trantalis in Fort Lauderdale – none of whom are people of color.
Penserga was elected the same day the Florida state Senate passed the insidious ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which would prohibit “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity.”
A high school science teacher, @TyPenserga campaigned with his students by his side.
Congratulations, Ty!!! pic.twitter.com/OI8ChzbwQU— LGBTQ Victory Fund (@VictoryFund) March 9, 2022
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, issued the following statement about the election:
“While legislators in Tallahassee were trying to silence us, voters were making their voices heard at the ballot box. And with resounding enthusiasm, they chose equality. Not only did Ty shatter a lavender ceiling in Boynton Beach tonight, his election is a clear call of hope to LGBTQ people in Florida and across the country who are tirelessly battling legislatures bent on stripping away our basic human rights and freedoms.”
Victory Fund named Penserga a Spotlight candidate, a designation given to state or local candidates in history-making races, that comes with additional support and services from LGBTQ Victory Fund to ensure they win on Election Day. In the final days before today’s election, Victory Fund provided on-the-ground campaign support and assisted in get out the vote efforts.
More information about all of Victory Fund’s endorsed candidates is available at victoryfund.org/ourcandidates.
