The Sunshine State will see its first openly queer Black woman as a state legislator. Michele Rayner won the seat of Florida House District 70 on Election Day (November 3), according to them. news.
"Y’all. It just hit me. I’m the first openly Black queer women ever elected in Florida-at any level. Our team was led by a Black woman. It was anchored by women and women of color. We won because we defined ourselves for ourselves. Brb- I’m crying now," the 38-year-old tweeted Tuesday night.
Rayner is a civil rights lawyer who gained national attention for representing police brutality victims. With no Republicans or third-party contenders challenging the position, Rayner's victory depended on the Democratic primary. She won over Keisha Bell by over 1,100 votes, and all candidates were separated by less than 13 points.
“We’ve run a campaign focused on putting people over politics and that’s rooted in a commitment to working with and for residents until the change they seek is a reality,” Rayner said.