Mayor-elect of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Erica Deuso. (Facebook/Erica Deuso)
Mayor-elect of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Erica Deuso. (Facebook/Erica Deuso)
Erica Deuso has made history as the first-ever out trans woman to be elected as mayor in the state of Pennsylvania.
Deuso, who works in management at pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson, was elected as mayor of Downington, Pennsylvania on Tuesday night after defeating Republican Rich Bryant with 64 per cent of the vote, making her the first out trans mayor in the state’s history.
“I’m honored by your trust”
The 45-year-old, who is bisexual, took to Facebook following her success, writing, “Yesterday’s victory shows what we can accomplish when we come together with respect, hope, and purpose. I’m honored by your trust and ready to get to work.”
She added: “Thank you to the voters, poll workers, and election staff who gave everything to make this election possible. And thank you to my opponent, Rich Bryant, for a good race.
“Being elected as Pennsylvania’s first openly transgender mayor is deeply meaningful, and I carry that responsibility with pride and humility. I hope it reminds anyone who has ever felt unseen, unheard, or underestimated that your voice matters, and that you belong in the room where decisions are made.”
Deuso, a member of Chester County Democratic Committee and treasurer of the Pennsylvania Equality Project, focused her campaign on public safety, which included a pledge ensuring that local police would not cooperate with federal immigration agents “except for where legally obligated”, as well as on infrastructure development and fostering community by creating a “vibrant downtown”.
Despite not focusing her campaign on LGBTQ+ issues, the mayor-elect, who was subjected to anti-trans hate during her campaign, told WHHYY: “[W]e pulled off something that would have been unthinkable in Chester County just a few years ago.
“Now the work begins. We will build a Downingtown that is safe, sustainable, and strong for everyone who calls it home.”
Her election came amid a night of wins for pro-LGBTQ+ Democrats across the country, with Zohran Mamdani defeating former governor Andrew Cuomo to become the next mayor of New York City.
In his victory speech, Mamdani said: “If anyone can show a nation betrayed by Donald Trump how to defeat him, it is the city that gave rise to him. And if there is any way to terrify a despot, it is by dismantling the very conditions that allowed him to accumulate power.”
He then directly addressed the president, saying: “So Donald Trump, since I know you’re watching, I have four words for you: Turn the volume up.”
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis in a statement: “Today’s election results make one thing clear: Americans are rejecting divisive politics that target LGBTQ people and instead demanding leadership that focuses on the issues that matter for all Americans including affordability, family, and freedom.|”
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