Danica Roem beat three other Democrats Tuesday to become the first transgender candidate to win a primary for the Virginia House of Delegates.
Roem advanced to November’s general elections, where he’ll face incumbent Republican Bob Marshall. If he wins, he will be the third transgender state legislator to hold office in the U.S., and one of only a few transgender elected officials in the world.
Delegate Robert Marshall, who has represented Virginia’s 13th district since 1992, introduced the Physical Privacy Act earlier this year, a bill seeking to mandate that transgenders use restrooms that correspond with their “original birth certificate,” rather than the gender with which they identify. There is little doubt that votes will come to a head over Marshall’s more conservative values against Roe’s pro-transgender agenda in November.
Roem is a “proud trans woman committed to representing all people in her district,” said Aisha Mills, president and CEO of political action committee the Victory Fund, calling his win “historic.”
After the results had been tallied, Roem thanked his supporters on social media saying, “We know how to defeat Del. Bob Marshall (R). We’re ready. #NoH8 #FixRoute28.” His hashtags refer to anti-LGBTQ legislation and Route 28 transit issues that are sure to surface in the general election.
Tuesday’s Virginia primary had a 170 percent greater turnout rate than the last gubernatorial race in 2009, said Kip Malinosky, chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.
“I am thrilled that Danica got it. That a transgender woman is going to challenge [Marshall] is perfect, but I don’t want to reduce this all to identity — [Roem] ran a good campaign, is very knowledgeable and is in a district Hillary won pretty handily,” Malinosky said. “I think she has a very good chance.”
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