The 120th Congress is set to break a few records, including what is being touted as the “gayest Congress” in American history. Eighteen Democrats who identify as LGBTQ+, including two senators, are set to be sworn into Congress in 2027.
“The American people have made their voices heard. The 120th Congress will officially be the GAYEST Congress in history! (that we know of) Let’s get to work,” the Congressional Equality Caucus posted Thursday on X.
The American people have made their voices heard.
The 120th Congress will officially be the GAYEST Congress in history! (that we know of)
Let's get to work
pic.twitter.com/gxgh5eHGmB
— Congressional Equality Caucus (@EqualityCaucus) November 5, 2026
The Human Rights Campaign celebrated the midterm rainbow wave.
“Out of our endorsed LGBTQ+ candidates, 100% of our federal endorsements won their races, along with 97.7% of our state endorsements,” it said in its 2026 Election Report.
“After two years of MAGA Republicans waging a culture war, wasting taxpayer dollars attacking LGBTQ+ people, and spending $340 million on anti-trans ads while families suffered, voters have had enough,” Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement.
“In a historic rebuke, voters didn’t just reject LGBTQ+ hate, they have elected a historic number of LGBTQ+ elected officials. Chris Pappas is the first-ever out gay man elected to the U.S. Senate, and JoAnna Mendoza, Cait Conley, and Jeremy Moss will join Sarah McBride, who won by a huge margin, in the U.S. House—and that’s just the start,” she continued.
Sen.-elect Chris Pappas, D-N.H., is set to be the first publicly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate. According to his campaign website, Pappas is “leading the fight to put an end to the discriminatory ‘panic’ defenses based on sexual orientation or gender identity in federal courts” and “has been a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ equality” throughout his career.
Pappas will join Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., a lesbian who has served in the U.S. Senate since 2013.
In total, there will be 15 openly LGBTQ+ members in the U.S. House of Representatives, including seven freshmen and the nonvoting delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Janelle Sarauw.
The freshmen are Cait Conley of New York, J.D. Ford of Indiana, JoAnna Mendoza of Arizona, Jeremy Moss of Michigan, and Marni von Wilpert and Scott Wiener of California, along with Sarauw.
In 2024, Ford condemned the Indiana Senate for voting to ban transgender affirming care for minors.
“I am saddened and angered to see this ban on science-based healthcare for transgender young people go into effect. These youth are among the most vulnerable in our state, and decisions about their care should be made between themselves, their families & support systems, and medical professionals—not an increasingly intrusive and ideological state government,” he said in a statement after the vote.
While many of these candidates ran on expanding “LGBTQ+ rights” and have openly supported transgender surgeries for minors, there is likely not much they will be able to accomplish as members of Congress, even with the Democrats holding such a significant majority.
President Donald Trump has already vowed to veto Democrat-led legislation.
“I have the ultimate power—it’s called ‘veto,'” Trump told CBS News.
As of now, there are 251 Democrats to 153 Republicans in the House, with 31 races yet to be called. There are 54 Democrats and 44 Republicans in the Senate. In order for Democrats to override Trump’s veto, they need a two-thirds vote in both chambers.
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[ H/T The Daily Signal ]
