J.D. Ford Is The First Openly-Gay Man Elected To The Indiana Legislature

Indiana has never had an openly gay person serve in the state legislature.

J.D. Ford. Photo via J.D. Ford for Senate.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - The Indiana state legislature will have its first LGBTQ member when lawmakers convene for the 2019 legislative session in January.

Democrat J.D. Ford, who is openly gay, won the race for Senate District 29 on Tuesday. He pulled off an upset of Republican Mike Delph, who has been one of the legislature’s most outspoken conservatives, by 14 points.

“Yes, this is a historical moment, but it's not about me,” Ford told supporters following the election results on Tuesday, his 36th birthday. “It's about the LGBTQ+ Hoosiers and generations to come that can be proud of what we attempted to do and did do.”

Ford is an LGBTQ activist. He has campaigned against Indiana’s controversial 2015 Religious Freedom Restoration Act. He has pledged to pass hate crimes legislation, including protections for gender identity and sexual orientation.

Ford was supported in his run by the LGBTQ Victory Fund. The political organization's President and CEO Annisa Parker said Ford made political history.

“But tonight Indiana voters made clear they will support LGBTQ candidates like JD who are determined to lead with solutions and have a clear passion for public service. We are certain JD’s victory tonight will inspire other LGBTQ Indianans to run for office and serve their communities,” she said.

Delph was first elected in 2005. He had once pushed for House Joint Resolution 3, an amendment which would have instituted a gay marriage ban in Indiana. He blamed GOP leaders, the media, and a “self absorbed Godless culture that is fast tracking our nation to ruin.”

Tuesday’s race was the second time the two faced each other in an election. Delph won in 2014 by nearly 10 percentage points, but demographics in the district have shifted over the past four years. Senate District 29 is situated on the northwest side of Indianapolis, straddling

Delph congratulated Ford in a Facebook post Wednesday.

“He worked hard and has a genuine desire to want to help others. We need to support him in his journey as he will be drinking water from a fire hose for the next several months. If the vote in Marion County was indeed a protest vote against President Trump and the Trump agenda, then I am honored to stand with our President. America needs him and I am grateful for him,” wrote Delph.

Indiana is one of the last states to have never had an openly gay member of its legislature.