Maebe A. Girl, who wanted to make history as the first drag queen elected to Congress, will not be advancing to the general election in November.
Maebe A. Girl ran as a candidate for the 28th Congressional District seat and challenged incumbent Rep. Adam Schiff, who is in his 10th term. The district stretches from West Hollywood to the eastern border of Pasadena and from Echo Park to the Angeles National Forest.
The top two candidates with the most votes in the March primary will advance to the general election in November. Maebe A. Girl came in third place. She missed second place by 1,114 votes, according to certified results released Friday by the Los Angeles County Register’s office. Schiff and Republican Eric Early will be on the November ballot
“Thank you to every one who supported us on this incredible 8+ month journey,” Maebe A. Girl said on social media. “I am sorry that we did not win this time.
“I hope I was able to inspire others to get involved in their communities and politically. The more we speak up and the more we demand social justice from our government, the less it can be denied to us,” she said. “Someday soon, there will be a trans person in Congress. It may or may not be me.”
William Dorsey Swann the 1st drag queen, LGBTQ rights pioneer
Maebe A. Girl — who identifies as nonbinary and uses the pronouns she/her and they/them — made history in April when she was elected to the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council.
According to a search of public records, Maebe A. Girl is the first drag queen elected to public office in the United States.
She appeared on the ballot as Maebe A. Girl and conducts council business as her drag persona.
She also appeared on the March ballot as Maebe A. Girl.
Marvel Comics introduces its first drag queen superhero, Shade
Maebe A. Girl released a statement to Q Voice News about her congressional campaign. Here is the full text.
“Running for Congress has been the most incredible experience of my life. Meeting and speaking with so many passionate voters was such a highlight, and I leave this election feeling inspired beyond belief. While we were hoping to advance to the general election, we knew this was an uphill battle from the start, and I’m incredibly proud of how far we made it.
“We ran to win on a set of values that benefits everyone, especially the most vulnerable members and communities of our society, and not just the elite few. I know that so many Americans are scared about the future, but we can and will conquer the injustices of society together.
Maebe A. Girl, far right, wanted to make history as the first drag queen elected to Congress. She is photographed with supporters during a canvassing event in Hollywood. Photo: Maebe A. Girl Instagram.
“Although we finished 3rd out of 8 in a contest where the top 2 progress, our rookie campaign based on progressive values gave the establishment figures a real run for their money -literally and figuratively speaking. The incumbent raised nearly $10 million, the second place challenger raised more than $500k, and our campaign was able to make it a hair away from winning on less than $10k. If anything, I’m exiting the election feeling more encouraged than when I entered, knowing that no matter how much money you have or how many people know your name, people vote based on their value system.
“This campaign was anything but a failure. We accomplished so much with so little, and proved that trans people and minorities can and will be both heard and represented in our government. There has yet to be a trans person in the history of US Congress, but that will change soon. I hope our campaign has inspired others to get involved with their communities and politically involved, and that it is has shown that anybody can and should run for office. I am but one of the many people who believe in progressive policies such as Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, UBI, Abolishing ICE, Alleviating Homelessness, Racial Justice, Queer Justice, and Social Justice. We are all in this together. I’ve always known that if every minority stood together in solidarity we would be unstoppable.
“This is not the end of what we started. I’m looking forward to continuing to serve my community as an elected official on the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council here in Los Angeles. Trust that you have not seen the last of Maebe A. Girl – I will continue to fight for the people, and for the justice we deserve. While this is not an official announcement, I plan on continuing to build a progressive coalition here in Los Angeles and run for higher office again in the very near future. Until then, please look out for your neighbors and stand up for what’s right.”
