A lot of races have yet to be called around the country, including several in California, where LGBTQ+ candidates are still fighting for a win.

Here’s an update on some of the LGBTQ+ candidates in the Golden State.

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Robert Garcia

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Out Democrat Robert Garcia has been reelected to a second term in Congress in California’s 42nd district, defeating Republican John Briscoe.

“Like so many of you, I’m incredibly disappointed and concerned about the future of our country,” Garcia wrote on X. “But I am grateful that you all sent me back to Congress to represent you and our community.”

Like so many of you, I’m incredibly disappointed and concerned about the future of our country. But I am grateful that you all sent me back to Congress to represent you and our community.

— Robert Garcia (@RobertGarcia) November 6, 2024

He also said he hopes Donald Trump “reflects and considers the people who his proposed policies would greatly harm,” but “If he does not, I promise you that I will fight for the country and the values that I swore to when I became a United States Citizen. Truth, Justice, and doing the most good.”

In the lead-up to election day, Garcia told LGBTQ Nation, “Congress needs more radical homosexuals. I’m proud and openly queer, and we have ten members of Congress that are gay — we need a lot more. We need a lot more folks that are aggressive, that stand up for the community: They’re going to talk about trans rights, health care, and the attacks on our community, and be proudly open while doing it.” 

Will Rollins

Out gay candidate Will Rollins is running for Congress in California’s 41st district, which includes Riverside County and large parts of Palm Springs. The swing district is considered key to helping determine which party controls the House.

The AP has not yet called this race, but Rollins is trailing behind far-right and anti-LGBTQ+ Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA). With 76% of votes counted, Calvert currently has 51.4% to Rollins’ 48.6%.

Calvert is a 16-term incumbent who voted against certifying the 2020 election results. Rollins also tried to unseat him in 2022 and lost with 47.7% of the vote.

“There’s a big difference between campaigning and governing,” Rollins told LGBTQ Nation in September, “and so far, I’ve only experienced campaigning, and I’m really looking forward to actually being able to do something to improve people’s lives. It’ll make all of the dialing-for-dollars worth it.”

Mark Takano

The AP has not called this race, but in California’s 39th congressional district, Democrat Mark Takano is ahead of Republican David Serpa. With 62% of precincts reporting, Takano currently has 55.2% of the votes to Serpa’s 44.8%.

Takano is a co-founder of the Equality PAC, a political action committee dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ House candidates and allies who want to pass the Equality Act, legislation that would outlaw anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination nationwide.

Takano is the lead sponsor of the Equality Act.

Evan Low

Out Democrat Evan Low has lost to fellow Democrat Sam Liccardo in California’s 16th House district. With 54% reporting, Low has received 40.1% of the vote to Liccardo’s 59.9%. The race was considered highly competitive.

The California state assemblymember posted last night to express his “deepest gratitude to every volunteer, supporter, and voter who believed in our vision for the Bay Area.”

“Although the outcome of the election is not one we hoped for,” he continued, “I am proud of the people-first campaign that we ran, focusing on the very real issues that affect the daily lives of CD-16 voters. I got my start in local politics because I wanted to better the lives of everyday Americans, and I will remain committed to that mission.”

He also said he thanked Liccardo “for a hard-fought campaign.”

“His success will be our success here in Silicon Valley.”

Lisa Middleton

Democrat Lisa Middleton, a longtime Palm Springs City Council member, is vying to become the first out trans person in the California state legislature.

The race has not yet been called, though Middleton currently trails her Republican opponent, incumbent state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh. With 71% reporting, Middleton has received 46.7% of the vote to Bogh’s 53.3%, as reported by the California Secretary of State’s office. Ochoa Bogh is a vocal Trump supporter with a history of voting against LGBTQ+ rights.

During the campaign, Middleton expressed hope that her newly redrawn district, with the addition of thousands of voters from Democratic strongholds like her hometown of Palm Springs, will make the difference, turning the longtime red district blue at the ballot box.

Trevor Chandler

LGBTQ+ rights activist and public school teacher Trevor Chandler is currently in second place among seven candidates in his race to represent District 9 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Ahead of Chandler is Jackie Fielder, a climate nonprofit director who currently has 57.5% of the vote to Chandler’s 42.5%. The San Francisco Department of Elections will reportedly be releasing the next update at 4 pm on Thursday, presumably Pacific time.

“I’m an outsider who knows how the inside works,” Chandler told LGBTQ Nation in September. “I joke that I want to be the most boring supervisor District 9 has ever had, because folks just want to get the job done, especially on safety. So what I’m offering is competence and experience without being a part of the machine.”

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