[WATCH] US: Danica Roem becomes Virginia’s first openly transgender elected official

Former journalist Danica Roem, pitted against republican Del. Robert G Marshall, who called himself Virginia's 'chief homophobe'

Danica Roem, who won a seat in the House of Delegates against a politician who embraced an anti-LGBT agenda (Photo: VOX)
Danica Roem, who won a seat in the House of Delegates against a politician who embraced an anti-LGBT agenda (Photo: VOX)

 

Virginia’s most socially conservative state lawmaker was removed from office on Tuesday, by Democrat Danica Roem, the nation’s first openly transgender elected officials.

The election focused primarily on traffic and other local issues, in the suburban Prince William County, but also exposed the fault lines over gender identity.

Roem, 33, a former journalist, who began her gender transition four years prior, was pitted against Del. Robert G Marshall, a 13-term incumbent, who called himself Virginia’s “chief homophone”.

Earlier this year, he also introduced a “bathroom bill”, which would have required people to only use the restroom that corresponds with the gender on their original birth certificates.

“Discrimination is a disqualifier”, said Roem on Tuesday night, as her margin of victory became clear.

“This is about the people of the 13th district disregarding fear tactics, disregarding phobias… where we celebrate you because of who you are, not despite it”.

Marshall, 73, categorically refused to debate Roam and referred to her only with male pronouns, declined and interview request and posted a concession message on Facebook.

“For 26 years I’ve been proud to fight for you, and fight for our future,” he said. “I’m committed to continue the fight for you, but in a different role going forward.”

The contest was one of dozens of state legislative races in which Democrats pushed to gain ground in the Republican-majority General Assembly, buoyed by a surge of anti-Trump sentiment among Democrats and independents, and hoping to provide an example for the nation of how to run in opposition to the unpopular Republican president.

Roem outraised Marshall three to one with nearly half a million dollars in donations, much of it coming from LGBT advocates and other supporters from all over the country.

In a district with over 52,471 registered voters, Roem’s campaign was relentless. She sat for several public appearances and interviews and maintained a steady and constant social media present.

Marshall kept his schedule rather more private but his campaign said that this week, staffers knocked on voters’ doors almost 50,000 times. Roems, on the other hand, knocked on over 75,000.

The race took somewhat of an ugly turn when Marshall and his supporters began producing ads disparaging Roem’s transgender identity.

Regardless, Roem led by nearly nine percentage points, with all precincts reporting, according to preliminary, unofficial results.

“It’s kind of like Barack [Obama] winning the presidential election. I’m really proud of Virginia,” said Roem voter John Coughlin, 63, a Realtor in Manassas who said he had never voted for Marshall.