South Dakota Elects First Gay Male Legislator, Kameron Nelson
South Dakota once again has LGBTQ+ representation in its state legislature.Kameron Nelson, a gay man, won a seat in the South Dakota House from District 10, centered on Sioux Falls, the state’s largest city.In South Dakota, each district elects two representatives and one senator.
For the representative seats, he and fellow Democrat Erin Healy bested Republicans John Mogen and Tom Sutton.South Dakota’s previous LGBTQ+ representation came from Angie Buhl O’Donnell, a bisexual woman who was a state senator from 2011 to 2015.
Nelson is the first gay man in the legislature and the first out member of the House.Mayor Annise Parker, president and CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which endorsed Nelson, issued the following statement: “Kameron shattered this lavender ceiling because of the exceptional grassroots support he energized through his courageous and compassionate approach to politics.
Voters are ready for the change he is prepared to bring, from safeguarding abortion rights to increasing equity within South Dakota’s education and health care systems.
