Ten openly LGBT non-incumbent
candidates are seeking election to Congress this year.
Two of the candidates are openly
transgender – the first to win the backing of a major U.S.
political party. Another candidate would make history if elected by
being the first out lesbian member of Congress with children.
While Congress' six out Democratic
House members – Jared Polis of Colorado, David Cicilline of Rhode
Island, Mark Takano of California, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Mark
Pocan of Wisconsin and Sean Patrick Maloney of New York – appear
likely to keep their seats, the prospects for the non-incumbent
candidates looks less rosy.
Business executive Angie Craig, a
lesbian Democrat, is polling 5 percentage points ahead of her GOP
rival Jason Lewis to represent Minnesota's 2nd
congressional district, which includes the suburbs of the Twin
Cities. She is raising four children with her wife Cheryl Greene.
The other nine candidates face steep
odds, the Washington
Blade reported.
In Kentucky, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray
is attempting to unseat Republican Senator Rand Paul. Polls have
Gray trailing Paul by 16 percentage points.
Another Senate candidate, Misty Snow, a
transgender Democrat, is facing a daunting task in challenging Utah
Senator Mike Lee, who has a 39 point lead.
Another transgender candidate, Army
veteran Misty Plowright, is challenging Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn, a
five-term incumbent. In 2014, Lamborn received 59.8 percent of the
vote.
In Connecticut, Clay Cope, a gay
Republican, has a steep climb in his bid to unseat two-term incumbent
Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat.
Controversial Pinal County Sheriff Paul
Babeu is trailing his Democratic rival, Tom O'Halleran, by 10
percentage points in his bid to represent the people of Arizona's 1st
congressional district.
(Related: Ben
Carson endorses Paul Babeu for U.S. House.)
The other candidates include Democrats
Bao Nguyen of California, Brady Walkinshaw of Washington, Matt Heinz
of Arizona and Denise Juneau of Montana, all of whom are running for
the House.