Following Tuesday’s primary election runoffs, Mississippi is in line to become the second to last state to elect an openly gay lawmaker.
Fabian Nelson defeated Roshunda Harris-Allen by nearly 38 points in the Democratic runoff for House District 66. With no Republican seeking the seat, Nelson is set to become the legislature’s first out LGBTQ+ person.
Annise Parker, who was one of the first openly gay mayors of a major U.S. city when she was first elected by Houston, Texas voters in 2010, voiced her support for Nelson.
“Representation matters – especially in Mississippi, which is one of the last two states to achieve the milestone of electing an out LGBTQ+ lawmaker,” Parker, who now serves as president and CEO of LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, said. “Voters in Mississippi should be proud of the history they’ve made but also proud to know they’ll be well-represented by Fabian.”
According to his campaign, Nelson comes from a family of healthcare professionals and is the owner of Mississippi United Realty. He is also a foster parent, who plans to utilize his position in the legislature to promote Medicaid expansion amid the state’s ongoing hospital crisis.
Nelson will be sworn in as the next representative for District 66 – which is located in Hinds County and includes parts of southwest Jackson – in January. Louisiana is the only other state who has never elected an out LGBTQ+ person.
