Artists React to Democratic Victories in Virginia, New Jersey & More

By Hayden Wright

Yesterday, citizens across the country cast their ballots in local and statewide elections, yielding key victories for Democrats. After President Donald Trump’s historic win one year ago and one year before the 2018 midterm elections, progressive leaders and artists saw encouraging signs in yesterday’s returns.

Related: Artists React to Trump Victory

“Proud of progress!” tweeted Miley Cyress. Congress = Progress.”

The Democratic party held the Virginia governor’s mansion and picked up the New Jersey governorship. Mayoral races in New Hampshire, Florida and North Carolina went blue and Maine greenlit an expansion of the Affordable Care Act.

Perhaps the night’s most compelling story was the victory of openly trans politician Danica Roem, who unseated incumbent Bob Marshall for a delegate seat in the Virginia state legislature. Marshall had led the charge in Virginia to restrict bathroom access for transgender people. Roem, a Democrat, will become the first transgender state official in United States history.

“Discrimination is a disqualifier,” said Roem (via The Washington Post). “This is about the people of the 13th District disregarding fear tactics, disregarding phobias . . . where we celebrate you because of who you are, not despite it.”

Andrea Jenkins, an openly transgender African American woman, also scored a historic victory winning a seat on the Minneapolis City Council.

The news was greeted with cheers from numerous musicians on social media, including Cyrus, Cher and John Legend. Here are the night’s best political tweets: