Virginia Democrat Danica Roem made history on November 7, 2017 by winning a seat in the House of Delegates, the first time in the United States that an openly transgender candidate won a state legislative election.
How did she do it? With a message that acknowledged transgender rights but emphasized other local issues of importance to her Manassas Park district's voters.
She quickly moves to her main issue, traffic, while slipping in her Catholic School upbringing: "As a child at All Saints Catholic School, I know what it's like waiting for my mother to come and pick me up, and she was stuck on Route 28 for sometimes two hours. No kid should have to be the last one to be picked up at school because of traffic congestion." We also see her lawn signs, which read "Fix Route 28 Now!"
She declares to have "the public policy knowledge, the local roots, and the innovative ideas" to effectively represent the district "while also working to make Virginia a more inclusive Commonwealth."
That message hit the sweet spot, as Roem handily ousted the incumbent Republican by nearly 10 percentage points, and established a model for future transgender politicians to follow.
How did she do it? With a message that acknowledged transgender rights but emphasized other local issues of importance to her Manassas Park district's voters.
Danica Roem's Slogan: "Fix Route 28 Now"
In an online ad produced by The People PAC, Roem speaks the camera and first identifies herself -- before anything else -- as a life-long Manassas resident: "I was born and raised at Prince William Hospital in Manassas and I've lived in Manassas ever since."She quickly moves to her main issue, traffic, while slipping in her Catholic School upbringing: "As a child at All Saints Catholic School, I know what it's like waiting for my mother to come and pick me up, and she was stuck on Route 28 for sometimes two hours. No kid should have to be the last one to be picked up at school because of traffic congestion." We also see her lawn signs, which read "Fix Route 28 Now!"
Danica Roem Promises a "More Inclusive Commonwealth"
She never uses the word "transgender," but images are shown with her campaigning while wearing a rainbow handkerchief scarf. And she knocks the incumbent for "demonstrat[ing] that his legislative priorities are more focused on where I go to the bathroom than how his constituents get to work."She declares to have "the public policy knowledge, the local roots, and the innovative ideas" to effectively represent the district "while also working to make Virginia a more inclusive Commonwealth."
That message hit the sweet spot, as Roem handily ousted the incumbent Republican by nearly 10 percentage points, and established a model for future transgender politicians to follow.