Democratic Texas Lawmaker to Become First Openly LGBTQ Member of Congress to Represent Southern State

Julie Johnson was elected to represent Texas' 32nd congressional district on Tuesday, making her the first openly LGBTQ+ representative of a southern state, as well as the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent the Lone Star State in Congress.

Johnson was battling Republican challenger Darrell Day for the seat left open by Democrat Collin Allred, who opted to challenge Sen. Ted Cruz this election cycle.

Johnson beat her Republican counterpart in a decisive victory, earning 60.3% of the vote in the district, according to NBC News.

"Tonight, Team Julie made history. I am incredibly honored and humbled that you have elected me to be your Representative for the 32nd district," she wrote to Instagram on Tuesday night. "Together, we have shattered barriers and proven that representation matters."

"To Texas's 32nd District voters, I want to express my deepest gratitude. Thank you for trusting me to be your voice in Congress. My team and I will work tirelessly to represent every one of you, to fight for equality, opportunity, and a future where all Texans can thrive," she continued.

Johnson became a popular candidate by demonstrating her ability to reach across the aisle in order to achieve goals.

"In politics, you have to have both a short-term and a long-term memory," Johnson said last year, in an interview with The Hill. "You always want to know who's with you and where people stand, but you can't hold grudges that would prohibit you from passing legislation that will help some aspect of somebody's life."

"I'm willing to work with any member on good policy," she continued. "Not all Democrats author good bills, and not all Republicans author bad bills."

Johnson, who previously represented District 115 in the Texas House of Representatives, is the first Democrat to hold this position in over four decades after beating Republican incumbent Matt Rinaldi in 2018.