In a curious coincidence, American politician Chris Pappas has become the first openly gay man elected to the United States Senate, echoing South Africa’s own first openly gay mayor, who shares his name.
Chris Pappas Makes History in US Senate Election
On Tuesday, 3 November, 46-year-old Pappas, a Democratic Party congressman, won election to the US Senate in the country’s midterm elections. Representing the state of New Hampshire, he will become the first openly gay man to serve in the upper chamber.
In his victory speech, Pappas acknowledged his husband, Vann Bentley. “And look, tonight, win, lose, or draw, I’m the luckiest guy because I’m married to a man that I love,” Pappas said.
He added: “I want to thank the guy next to me, my amazing husband…. he’s always been by my side.” The couple married in 2023.
LGBTQ+ Candidates Celebrate Historic Election Victories
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said Pappas’s election was among several LGBTQ+-affirming victories in the midterm elections, which saw many voters reject Donald Trump’s Republican Party in what the organisation described as a “historic rebuke”.
“Tonight voters delivered a resounding message: equality wins. After two years of MAGA Republicans waging a culture war, wasting taxpayer dollars attacking LGBTQ+ people, and spending $340 million on anti-trans ads while families suffered, voters have had enough,” said HRC President Kelley Robinson.
The results also saw voters elect other LGBTQ+ politicians to the US House of Representatives, including JoAnna Mendoza, Cait Conley and Jeremy Moss, while Sarah McBride secured re-election. Voters in several states also approved LGBTQ+-affirming ballot measures, including a constitutional amendment in Virginia to repeal the state’s 2006 ban on same-sex marriage.
South Africa’s Chris Pappas Also Made Political History
Pappas’s namesake in South Africa became mayor of the uMngeni Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal in 2021 at the age of 30, making history as the country’s first openly gay mayor. In 2023, Time magazine recognised him as one of the world’s 100 most promising emerging leaders.
Adding to the coincidence, South African voters also went to the polls this week, on Wednesday, 4 November, for the country’s local government elections. Chris Pappas once again stood as the Democratic Alliance’s mayoral candidate in uMngeni.
UPDATE: It’s been reported that South Africa’s Chris Pappas will remain mayor of uMngeni after the DA secured an estimated more than 60% of the votes in the municipality. Final results will be confirmed by the Electoral Commission of South Africa.
