A transgender woman unseated one of Virginia's longest serving and most socially conservative lawmakers Tuesday and is set to make history as the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a U.S. state legislature. The race was one of the year's most high profile, drawing national and international attention and big money to the northern Virginia House of Delegates district outside the nation's capital. Roem will be the first transgender member of the house of delegates and will become the first out transgender person to win and serve in a state legislature, according to the Victory Fund. Roem openly discussed her gender identity during her campaign, but it was far from her focus. He is also the author of a now-void constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman, and sponsored a bill banning gay people from openly serving in the Virginia National Guard.

Source: CBC News November 08, 2017 03:09 UTC