Several LGBTQ+ candidates won bids for reelection at varying levels of government in Illinois, while former President Donald Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in his bid to regain control of the White House.
Among the LGBTQ+ candidates to win was Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis, whose election made history with her becoming the first Black, transgender woman to be elected to public office in Cook County.
Other LGBTQ+ candidates who won reelection included MWRD Commissioner Marcelino Garcia, who was among several candidates running for a full six-year term on the board; U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (17th District); and State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (14th District) and State Sen. Mike Simmons (7th District), who both ran unopposed in the Illinois Legislature.
Three openly LGBTQ+ Cook County Judges also led in their bids to be retained.
In the presidential election, Trump secured a win with 277 electoral college votes compared to Harris’ 224 as of Wednesday morning. Illinois went overwhelmingly for Harris.
MWRD board races
Brady-Davis, who was appointed to the MWRD board in 2023, defeated her Republican opponent R. Cary Capparelli in her race for two more years on the board. Brady-Davis’ appointment filled a vacancy left by former Commissioner Kim du Buclet, who left the MWRD when she was appointed to the Illinois General Assembly.
Brady-Davis and Capparelli were competing to see who would complete the last two years of that seat’s term.
With 98.5% of precincts reporting, Brady-Davis had 68% of the vote compared to Capparelli’s 32%.
Brady-Davis declared victory in a tweet posted Tuesday night.
“Honored to be the first Black trans woman elected to public office in Cook County tonight,” Brady-Davis tweeted. “Together we’ve made history. Over the next two years, I’ll fight to protect Lake Michigan, champion environmental justice, and amplify voices too long ignored. The work continues.”
Garcia, an openly gay man who was running for a second six-year term on the MWRD board, also won his election. He was among three Democratic candidates vying to fill three seats for a six-year term on the MWRD board—all of whom succeeded.
The other Democratic candidates included incumbent Kari K. Steele and Sharon Waller. They were up against Republican candidates Claire Connelly, Richard F. Dale and Brendan Ehlers, and Green Party candidate Toneal M. Jackson.
With 98.5% of precincts reporting Wednesday morning, Garcia and the two other Democratic candidates won with 22-24% of votes.
“I put a lot of time and effort into creating positive changes within the MWRD, and we’re only just getting started,” Garcia told Windy City Times in a pre-election interview.
U.S. Congress, Illinois Legislature and other elections
Congressman Sorensen is also among the LGBTQ+ candidates in Illinois to defend their seat in government.
Sorensen was up against challenger Joe McGraw, who aimed to flip the 17th Congressional District seat back to Republicans for the first time since 2012.
Sorensen, who worked as a meteorologist for more than 20 years before being elected in 2022, defeated McGraw with 53.8% of the vote and 88% of precincts reporting Wednesday morning.
Sorensen declared victory in a tweet posted late Tuesday.
“The people of #IL17 have spoken—and they’re sending their neighbor back to Congress!” Sorensen posted. “Thank you, Central and Northwestern Illinois, for your trust and support. The forecast is for bright days ahead!”
As a representative of the 17th Congressional District, Sorensen serves parts of Central and Northwestern Illinois anchored by Rockford to the North and Bloomington-Normal to the South. The district also includes Peoria and the Illinois side of the Quad Cities region, comprising Rock Island, Moline and East Moline.
A number of openly LGBTQ+ judges were also close to winning their bids for retention in Cook County, including Mary Colleen Roberts, Cecelia Anne Horan and Mike McHale. With 96% of precincts reporting, Roberts had 77.5% of votes for retention, while Horan had 75% and McHale had 66.6%.
Judges need more than 60% of votes in favor of retention to win.
Cassidy and Simmons also won their bids for reelection after running unchallenged to keep their seats in the Illinois Legislature.
Cassidy, who has served as a state representative since 2011, and Simmons, who was appointed to the state senate in 2021 when former State Sen. Heather Steans retired, make up the only two out LGBTQ+ elected officials in the state legislature.
Throughout her time as a representative, Cassidy has led efforts to ban conversion therapy, strengthen protections for those who have experienced hate crimes and protect reproductive rights.
Cassidy, who chairs the Illinois House’s Reproductive Health and Dobbs Decision Working Group, has been involved in efforts to pass legislation shielding providers and patients who travel to Illinois for abortion access or gender-affirming care from being punished by other states where such practices are outlawed.
Cassidy is also an advocate for LGBTQ+ seniors, and previously told Windy City Times she’ll focus in her next term on ensuring the community has access to affirming and appropriate senior housing as it ages.
Simmons has told Windy City Times eliminating LGBTQ+ healthcare inequities is a priority of his. The state senator also chairs the Senate Human Rights committee, where he’s worked to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized populations. Simmons also worked on the Let America Read Act, which would outlaw book banning and attempts to curtail classroom curriculum, which often target Black and LGBTQ+ communities.
“I’m really proud that Mike Simmons and I have intentionality about being the only openly gay elected officials in the state legislature,” Cassidy previously said. “Because of that, I know I am very intentional about representing the LGBTQ+ community across the whole state.”