HEADED TO HARRISBURG: About 150 supporters erupted in cheers Tuesday night at Woody’s for Brian Sims (center), the Democratic nominee for the 182nd District, which encompasses the Gayborhood. Sims unseated longtime incumbent Rep. Babette Josephs and — as there is no Republican challenger on the November ballot — will become Pennsylvania’s first openly gay state lawmaker. Photo: Scott A. Drake
Democrat Brian Sims won his bid to represent the 182nd District in the state House, defeating longtime incumbent Rep. Babette Josephs. Sims will not face a Republican challenger in the fall.
As of presstime Wednesday, Sims had 3,681 votes to Josephs’ 3,463 — a difference of 218 votes.
According to the City Commissioners office, there were two cartridges left to retrieve for the race on Wednesday, which City Commissioner Stephanie Singer said were unlikely to have any votes on them.
Sims, an attorney and the former president of Equality Pennsylvania, watched the election returns at Woody’s Tuesday night, where about 150 supporters turned out to cheer him on.
“I am extremely honored by this historic win,” Sims told PGN. “Our victory was made possible by the support and hard work of hundreds of individuals. With such a tight margin, every volunteer hour and ever dollar counted. Representative democracy is what makes this nation great, and not only am I humbled to become our first openly LGBT state legislator, but I am proud to have won this election with one of the strongest grassroots campaigns this city has ever seen.”
He continued, “From members across the spectrum of communities to allies, the old chant summarizes it best: This is what democracy looks like, this is what democracy feels like.”
Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of national LGBT political group Victory Fund, which endorsed Sims, said the win is one for all LGBTs in the state.
“LGBT Pennsylvanians will finally have a voice in their state legislature, and what a strong and unyielding voice it will be,” Wolfe said. “We are thrilled for Brian, who ran a remarkable campaign.”
Sims was also endorsed by PGN, Liberty City LGBT Democratic Club and Equality PA.
Prior to Tuesday, Pennsylvania was the second-largest state in the nation to never have elected an openly LGBT lawmaker at the state level.
“For far too long, I have had to embarrassingly explain to people in and outside of Pennsylvania that no openly gay elected officials are serving in Harrisburg,” said Ted Martin, Equality PA executive director. “And this is when places that I like to call liberal bastions — Utah, Mississippi, Georgia and Arizona — all have openly gay elected officials, but Pennsylvania, where the Declaration of Independence was written, did not. So this finally, finally, finally changes it. Brian’s victory is certainly a tribute to him and all the hard work he and his staff put into the campaign, but this is really also a victory for all of LGBT Pennsylvania.”
In his victory speech at Woody’s, Sims thanked family and friends, campaign staff and volunteers and asked all in the room to give Josephs a round of applause.
Josephs, a longtime LGBT ally, was first elected in 1985.
Other out candidates were not as successful as Sims.
Openly bisexual candidate Fatimah Lorén Muhammad, who sought to challenge incumbent Rep. James Roebuck for the 188th District seat, lost her race, capturing 44 percent of the vote.
Out candidate Roy Christ finished second among three other Democrats in his race to fill the vacant 103rd District seat.
LGBT ally former Congressman Patrick Murphy, who spearheaded the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” was also unsuccessful in the Democratic Attorney General race: He received 47.2 percent of the votes compared to opponent Kathleen Kane’s 52.8 percent.
Three out Democratic candidates throughout the state ran unopposed — Chris Dietz (104th Dist.), Kelly McEntee (105th Dist.) and Jeff Dahlander (111th Dist.) — and all will face incumbent Republicans in the fall.
Shame on you for exploiting the memories of children who have taken their own lives due to bullycide. I was somebody who was bullied in school and I resent you calling me what I fight against.
"Darn it, Jordan! Shame on you for once again usurping everyone else's moment with your selfishness. This isn't about you."
Well, I don't think PGN has given a fair assessment of this race, and in the comment above, I gave critical insight in that comment and thanked Babette for her years of service. Of course, your own prejudice against trans people who speak for more than 10 seconds is highly transparent. You spin like a top.
"Frankly, this isn't even about Sims. You've tarnished your reputation badly during this because of your own actions."
Oh really, the only people who really don't want to listen to me anymore are those who, due to them being subpar at checking their privilege, never would have wanted to listen to me anyway.
"One more tidbit to leave you with: Have you considered that the nasty, negative, lies that you told throughout this are actually part of the reason Sims won? He won by less than 250 votes and I'm certain that there are more than 250 people who you drove away from Rep. Josephs with rants like this one above. Get over yourself. "
Oh please, Sims got nasty himself. I am a sexual abuse survivor and I was deeply offended and traumatized when he accused Babette of being soft on sexual predators. You do not know how many flaws there are in these sex offender bills, which were often rushed and often spread resources so thin that it defeated the purpose. She was endorsed by police unions and educators for frack's sake. Oh, and one of his people, who was too cowardly to reveal his name, made comments about how female legislators should be defeated.
"Grow up.
Learn to treat people with respect.
Shame on you."
Maybe you all should learn to treat me with respect. I come to conclusions about which candidates to support based on policy positions, and I have brought so many issues to people's attention that otherwise would have been swept under the rug. I believe strongly in prioritizing the issues that will help lift people out of a far worst place than those that might be an inconvenience. I also do believe that there aren't enough women in the legislature, and to go after a woman who shares our values just to become the first openly gay male in the legislature is just plain pandering.
This would not be tolerated in the rest of Pennsylvania, not even Pittsburgh.
Brian is a bully (and a lot of people know this), he came to the polling place where I was electioneering for Babette (Ward 5, District 6, at Jefferson Alumni Hall), and then he screamed that I owed him a heck of an apology, I will never apologize for calling his shit out. He then proceeded to do the same thing that Babette was allegedly doing at an 8th ward polling place, and electioneering AT THE POLLS. What a hypocrite
I thank Babette for her 27 years of service in the House and her many more years advocating for queer rights and doing trans name changes as an attourney. I am done here, the 182nd made their bed, now they have to lie in it. As for me, I will be focused on my news/opinion/policy based blog at Amplify Your Voice and trying to get the Policy & Advocacy committee together at Liberty City Dems, and trying to get the long delayed platform convention underway.
Frankly, this isn't even about Sims. You've tarnished your reputation badly during this because of your own actions.
One more tidbit to leave you with: Have you considered that the nasty, negative, lies that you told throughout this are actually part of the reason Sims won? He won by less than 250 votes and I'm certain that there are more than 250 people who you drove away from Rep. Josephs with rants like this one above. Get over yourself.
Grow up.
Learn to treat people with respect.
Shame on you.