LGBTQ+ candidates running for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, lieutenant governor and a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in Philadelphia's "gayborhood" each lost their races in the Keystone State's May 17 Democratic primary, The Washington Blade reported.
Transgender community activist Deja Alvarez and LGBTQ rights and economic development advocate Jonathan Lovitz ran against each other in a four-candidate race for the 182nd District State House seat in Center City Philadelphiabut both lost to ally/businessman Ben Waxman.
They all (plus Will Gross) were running for the seat held by gay state Rep. Brian Sims, who gave up the seat to run in the primary as the state's first out gay candidate for lieutenant governor. Unfortunately for Sims, he lost his race to fellow state Rep. Austin Davis.
Also, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta ran as a longshot candidate for the state's U.S. Senate seat being vacated by GOP incumbent Patrick Toomeyand lost to Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. In addition, gay Democratic and LGBTQ+-rights activist and former congressional staff member Sean Meloy fell short in his race against Chris Deluzio, director of the University of Pittsburgh's cyber policy center. If Meloy had won, he would have become Pennsylvania's first out gay member of Congress.
However, this was at least one bright spot. Izzy Smith Wade-El won the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 49th state House District, the LGBTQ Victory Fund noted. With this victory, he is on track to become the first out non-binary member of the Pennsylvania state legislature. There are currently just three out LGBTQ+ people serving in the Pennsylvania state legislature and just three out non-binary and gender non-conforming people serving in state legislatures nationally.