A lesbian attorney in Kansas who formerly was a mixed martial arts fighter has won election to the U.S. House, setting her up to become one of the first female Native Americans to serve in Congress.
MSNBC declared Davids, a Democrat, won over her Republican incumbent Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kansas), a Trump ally, at 8 pm local time.
In addition to being a former mixed martial arts fighter, Davids earned her law degree from Cornell University and worked as a White House Fellow during the Obama-Trump transition.
Annise Parker, CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said Kansas voters "gave the boot to a Trump ally and replaced him with a groundbreaking LGBTQ leader who spoke her truth throughout the campaign."
"Sharice won the hearts of voters by putting forward a positive and solutions-oriented agenda while explaining how her experiences as a Native American LGBTQ woman influenced her policy positions and beliefs," Parker said. "When she earned her law school degree from Cornell, she passed on high-paying corporate jobs and instead worked on economic development issues, and went to live and work on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This authenticity and commitment to public service resonated with Kansans and will also resonate with lawmakers on Capitol Hill during this next session, when Sharice and other LGBTQ members of Congress will push for legislation that advances equality."
Davids was one of two candidates running for Congress in 2018 who could be the first female Native Americans elected to the House. The other was Deb Haaland, who was running in New Mexico's 1st congressional district. That race was yet to be called at the time of this posting.
This article originally appeared in the Washington Blade and is made available in partnership with the National Gay Media Association.
