LGBTQ candidates press forward in election’s final stretch

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In one of New York’s general election contests for Congress, a gay man is facing another gay man for the first time. In another race, a powerful gay congressmember is in danger of getting ousted. And yet, the dramatic race to the finish line at the top of the ballot is coinciding with much quieter races involving LGBTQ candidates for Assembly and State Senate.

LGBTQ candidates and queer issues are hanging in the balance, even as topics such as crime and the economy have absorbed much of the political rhetoric leading up to the midterm election. The state-by-state attacks on trans youth in healthcare and sports have coincided with hysteria over drag story hour — including in New York, where bigots harassed a solidarity rally for drag story hour as recently as October 28.