As a transgender candidate running for congress, Misty Plowright feels she has nothing to lose with two weeks left in the race.
“He doesn’t listen to any of his constituents.”
Plowright is the first openly transgender candidate to win a major party’s nomination for a congress in Colorado and she is running against Republican incumbent Doug Lamborn for the state’s 5th district seat. Inspired by Bernie Sanders, Plowright sees Lamborn as being out of touch with the state’s libertarian views. “He doesn’t listen to any of his constituents,” she told the Denver Post. “He doesn’t even engage with them.”
With only $11,000 raised in donations for Plowright, Lamborn seems like a lock to retain his seat with over $560,000 raised. She has received no money from Colorado’s Democratic Party, though they are doing their best to support her with offices and manpower in the district. Making matters even more difficult for her is the fact that Lamborn has been avoiding her by ignoring her invitations to join her at 8 town hall meetings her campaign organized. “He’s completely ignoring me. It’s almost like he thinks that seat is his by divine right,” Plowright said.
An Arkansas native and an army veteran; Plowright moved to Colorado in 2006, right around the time when she began to transition. She is an IT consultant and has previously worked for Microsoft. She is upfront about her life experiences, being transgender and living in a polyamorous relationship with her wife and a male partner. Plowright says she wishes all politicians were upfront about their personal lives. “If something comes out in the open they have to lie about everything, they absolutely must lie about everything. Why? Just be honest. It doesn’t make any sense to me,” she said in an interview with Colorado Public Radio.
Win or lose, Plowright’s campaign is breaking barriers. Her efforts along with those by Misty Snow (running for Senator in Utah) and Kristin Beck (lost bid for the Democratic Party’s nomination for congress in Maryland) have opened the door for future transgender politicians. It is only a matter of time before the transgender community is fully represented in both the U.S. Congress and the Senate.
