San Diego City Councilman Marni von Wilpert usually disagrees with the party that remakes the map of Congress for power.
But after President Trump convinced Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to remake his state map to improve the Republicans’ chances of retaining congressional control in 2026, Von Wilpert said she believes California’s only option is to fight back with its new map.
Von Wilpert said there are too many dangers for LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized Californians.
Von Wilpert, 42, said: “We can’t sit on the sidelines anymore, just want the right far right to be fair or play the rule book.
San Diego City Councilman Marni von Wilpert challenged Republican incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa to redefine the Southern California area if voters approve the California Democratic redemarcation plan.
(Sandy Huffaker/Times)
Von Wilpert’s challenge to Issa — who did not respond to a request for comment — make her part of a growing wave of LGBTQ+ candidates running for office at a time when many on the right and in the Trump administration are working aggressively to push queer people out of the American mainstream, including by challenging drag queen performances, queer library books and an array of Pride displays, and by questioning transgender people’s right to serve in the military, receive gender-positive health care, participate in sports or use public restrooms.
Elliot Imse, executive director of LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, said they are working to address these efforts while also resisting other administrative policies they believe are more widely threatening democracy and equality, and advocating around local issues that are important to them and their neighbors.
The institute has been running for queer training in political positions since 1991, and has provided in-person training to 450 people so far this year, while 290 people last year provided training to 290 people. Recently, it had to restrict training in 54 people (the largest cohort in more than a decade) in Los Angeles, with the first training for trans candidates despite over 50 applicants.
“LGBTQ+ people have been inspiring nationwide to run for the nation because of the attack on equality,” Imse said. “They know the risks, they know the potential for harassment, but these fears are indeed overcome by the desire to make a difference at this moment.”
“It’s about screaming that we are trans people, it’s about screaming that we are human, and it shows that we are here, we are capable leaders.” Josie Caballero, director of voting and elections for transgender equality, said that it helps in training.
Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) was held at the DC Blockchain Summit in Washington on March 26, 2025. The summit brought together policy makers and influential people to discuss important issues facing the cryptocurrency industry.
(Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg by Getty Images)
Across the country
Queer candidates still face stiff resistance in some parts of the country. But they are never winning elections elsewhere before – Delaware Rep. Sarah McBride became the first transgender person in Congress last year – increasingly decided to run.
Some are Republicans who support Trump by installing gay leaders in his administration, such as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and use his kick-opening to open the door to politics for people like them.
Ed Williams, executive director of the Cabin Republican Party of LGBTQ+, said his group saw a “surge of interest” under Trump, “new members and chapters are emerging all over the country.” “LGBT conservatives fight with the common sense policy of President Trump to support our schools and parents, put America first and create opportunities for all Americans,” he said.
Ryan Sheridan, 35, a gay psychiatric nurse practitioner who challenged Republican incumbent Ann Wagner’s house seat in Missouri, said Trump made the Republican “a more enthusiastic environment” for gay people. He said he agreed with Trump that medical interventions for transgender youth should be stopped, but also believed that others in the LGBTQ+ community misunderstood the president’s view.
“I don’t believe he is anti-trans. I don’t believe he is anti-gay,” Sheridan said. “I know fear may be real, but I encourage anyone with deep fear to explore some other perspectives.”
However, more LGBTQ+ candidates from Democrats or progressives – and said they were expelled, partly because of their disdain for Trump and his policies.
LGBTQ+ candidates and prospective candidates listen to speakers during a training session at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute in downtown Los Angeles in September.
(David Bhutto/Times)
Bisexual retired U.S. Marine Joanna Mendoza said she ran for Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) because she took a swearing to defend the United States and its values, and she believes that these values are threatened by a government that respects LGBTQ+ service members, immigrants, immigrants, other vulnerable groups.
Illinois’ first LGBTQ+ state Senator Mike Simmons is running for the House seat of retired Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-ill.) and leans on his outsider role as a gay black and son of an Ethiopian seeker. “I symbolize everything Donald Trump is trying to erase.”
Rep. Jolanda Jones, a lesbian, said she was running for the House of Representatives of the late Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas), and that historic black area in Houston is being re-divided because she believes “we need more gay people — but specific black gay people — can run and be able to compete and challenge Trump’s position.”
Colorado Rep. Brianna Titone, who runs for Colorado Treasurer, said that for LGBTQ+ people, especially trans people like her, it is crucial for campaigns including locals. She said Trump is looking for ways to attack the blue state economy and queer people need help to ensure that the resistance strategy does not include giving up LGBTQ+ rights.
“We will be blackmailed, our economy will suffer from this and we will have to bear it,” she said.
Rep. Brianna Titone spoke at the Colorado State Assembly on April 23, 2025.
(Published by Aaron Ontiveroz/Denver via Getty Images)
The gay Jordan Wood served as chief of staff for former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, then co-founded the Constitutional Support Organization Democracy Alliance. Now he returns to Maine, Maine, to challenge the Center Republican Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins.
Collins, who declined to comment, has supported LGBTQ+ rights in the past, including in military service and marriage, sometimes with her party breaking Trump’s way. However, Wood said Collins has accused Trump’s authoritarian policies, including the recent budget struggle.
“This is a time when our country is in crisis and we need political leaders to take over one side and grasp the government and its violations,” Wood said.
The candidate said they had hateful and threatening comments about them because of their identity, as well as a difficult conversation with their family becoming a queer elected official in the current political moment. The Victory Institute’s training includes information on how best to deal with harassment in campaigns.
However, candidates say they have young people, and others thank them for defending the LGBTQ+ community.
Kevin Morrison, a gay county commissioner in the suburbs of Chicago, is running for House Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-ill.), who recently gained that experience after defending a trans high school athlete at a local school board meeting.
Morrison said the responses he received from the community, including alumni from many schools, were “incredibly positive” and demonstrated the ready people for new LGBTQ+ advocates who “lead from compassion and compassion.”
In California
The LGBTQ+ candidate is running in California, who has been the national leader in electing LGBTQ+ candidates, but has never been represented by trans countries.
Maebe Pudlo, 39, is the operations manager of the Selah Community Homeless Alliance and an elected member of the Silver Lake Community Committee. She is also a transgender person and is running for the central and East Los Angeles Senate location of María Elena Durazo, who is running for county supervisors.
Pudlo, who also served as the drag queen, said that the only existence of every day was a “political and social statement” for her. But she decided to run for office after seeing policy decisions for trans people who have no trans voices.
“Unfortunately, our lives have been politicized and trans people have become political pawns, which really makes me sick,” Pro said.
Like other queer candidates who spoke with The Times, Pudlo, who previously ran for Congress, said her platform was probably more than just an LGBTQ+ issue. It also involves housing and health care and a broader defense of democracy, she said, noting that her campaign slogan “remove fascism from California.”
Still, Budlow said she is still acutely aware of the current political threat to trans people and feels deeply responsible for defending her rights – for everyone’s sake.
“It’s the whole idea of civil rights for trans people – for anyone who cares about democracy, that should be about it,” Prolulo said. “Because if they do that with my community, your community will be next.”
Former Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton spoke at a training event for LGBTQ+ candidates and potential candidates in Los Angeles in September. The photos are also Evan Low, president of LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Danny Hang, West Hollywood City Councilman, Bubba Fish, Culver City Councilman and Sen. Danica Roem, Virginia.
(David Bhutto/Times)
Juan Camacho, a 44-year-old Echo Park resident who also ran for Durazo, said he had similar responsibilities for gay Mexican immigrants — especially when Trump launched the “2025 Project 2025 Playbook” that attacked immigration, Latinos and LGBTQ+ people.
Camacho, who was recorded in President Reagan’s amnesty program, brought to the United States by his parents as toddlers, said Camacho knew families worried about undocumented and mixed status felt that he wanted to use his privileges as citizens to postpone it.
Toni Atkins, a California legislative leader who has long been running for governor, said the recent attacks on LGBTQ+, especially trans people, were “very frustrating,” but the determination to get LGBTQ+ for 50 years in the country has also strengthened her determination.
“It has always been: We want housing and health care, we want equal opportunities, we want to be seen as a contribution to society,” she said. “We have a responsibility to see, as Harvey Milk said, to ‘give them hope.’”
