Following Tuesday's primaries in
Florida, the state is on-track to double the number of openly LGBT
members of the state legislature in November.
Three LGBT Florida House candidates
advanced on Tuesday: Joshua Hicks, Ricky Junquera, and Michele
Rayner.
Representative Shevrin Jones won his
Democratic primary for the Senate. If elected in the fall, Jones
would become Florida's first openly gay state senator.
(Related: Out
Rep. Shevrin Jones wins Democratic primary; Likely to be first LGBT
Florida state senator.)
According to the LGBTQ Victory Fund,
which promotes LGBT elected officials, LGBT representation at the
statehouse would double if these candidates won their races, putting
Florida among the states with the highest number of LGBT state
lawmakers. Currently, there are three openly LGBT state
representatives, including Jones.
“Florida is witnessing a rainbow
revolution, with an unprecedented number of openly LGBTQ state
legislative candidates running for office and an opportunity to at
least double LGBTQ representation come November,” the Victory Fund
said in a statement.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the
nation's largest LGBT rights advocate, said that the victories “show
that voters in Florida and all across America are rejecting
anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and candidates in favor of a more inclusive,
diverse future.”
These races could affect who wins the
White House in November and whether Florida extends statewide LGBT
protections. Earlier this year, Virginia became the first Southern
state to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and
gender identity.
(Related: LGBT
protections bill takes effect in Virginia.)
“These candidates can inspire
pro-equality voters to turn out for them in record numbers, with the
potential to influence which presidential candidate wins Florida and
ultimately the White House,” Victory Fund said. “Florida voters
must get out to vote for these LGBTQ candidates and elect a
government more reflective of the people it serves – and their
impact can be enormous.”