First openly LGBTQ+ woman elected to Kentucky Senate
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Keturah Herron is the first openly LGBTQ+ woman elected to the Kentucky Senate. Due to incorrect information from a PAC that supported her, an earlier version of this story misstated that she was the Senate’s first genderqueer member. Herron uses she/they pronouns.
A Kentucky lawmaker has made history as the commonwealth’s first openly LGBTQ+ woman state senator after a successful election on Tuesday.
Keturah Herron has served in the state’s House of Representatives since 2022, representing District 14 in parts of Jefferson County. Herron won an unopposed race on Tuesday for state Senate.
“I am very humbled to continue to work for all Kentuckians as I move to the senate. We know this work is very hard and we are at a pivotal time in our nation,” Herron said in a news release. “I will continue to speak the truths for our people, build coalitions, and find others to run for office as well. I will do it with courage, boldness, and confidence even when the days are dark.”
Herron was endorsed by LPAC, an organization directed at advancing political representation of LGBTQ+ women and non-binary candidates.
“In the South, Kentucky has fought to be an oasis for LGBTQ+ people, and we have Keturah Herron to thank for that,” said Janelle Perez, Executive Director of LPAC. “Keturah has been a champion for racial justice, gun safety and LGBTQ+ equality, and we are fortunate to have her as a leader for Kentucky. We are thrilled to see Keturah move up to the State Senate, where we know they will continue to tirelessly advocate for our community.”
Herron replaces Denise Harper Angel, who was elected in 2005 and did not run for reelection.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 8:07 PM.
