In a first, two gay men contest same Congress seat in US elections
History is in the making. For the first time, two openly gay candidates are competing for election to a US congressional seat.
Analysts say the race in New York’s 3rd congressional district highlights the huge strides LGBTQ+ representation and acceptance have made on the political stage. “What’s notable is that it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, which shows how far the country has come on acceptance of gay and lesbian candidates,” said Kyle Kondik, a political analyst at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
Democrat Robert Zimmerman, a 68-year-old marketing executive, will face off against George Santos, a 34-year-old Republican financier, in the midterm elections on Nov.
8. Zimmerman has a slight advantage in the “toss up” race, according to nonpartisan election forecaster The Cook Political Report, as the Democratic incumbent, Thomas Suozzi, stands down.
