CA-SD19: In tight Inland Empire race, first transgender candidate could oust first Republican Latina

Nearly an hour into a fundraiser in a tidy gated community just outside Palm Springs in late May, a soft-spoken Lisa Middleton — who could become California’s first out transgender state lawmaker if elected in November — acknowledged her historic run for office matter of factly and without fanfare.

It wasn’t until after she addressed pedestrian safety, public transportation, college access and climate change over plates of deviled eggs and sweaty glasses of lemonade in the desert city she once served as mayor that she mentioned her gender identity.

That approach is intentional: A campaign ad released last week omits the Democratic candidate’s potentially groundbreaking election and instead focuses on her ability to work with Republicans on issues like building better roads and creating jobs.

“I’m never going to back away from who I am, but what I’ve consistently tried to do is make it clear that it’s just a part of my identity — it’s not everything,” Middleton told The Times. “And it’s not why I ran for office.”

Identity politics, however, are unavoidable in the competitive race to represent Calfornia’s 19th Senate District as LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and top Democrats rally for Middleton to flip the long-held Republican seat currently held by incumbent Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R-Redlands) who is also running as a “first.”



https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-09-06/california-senate-race-its-first-transgender-candidate-vs-first-republican-latina