Julie Johnson Opens Up About Making LGBTQ+ Historical past in 2024 Election: Unique

Julie Johnson has made historical past, turning into the primary member of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood to be elected to Congress from the U.S. South. Now, she’s keen to make use of her voice to serve the larger good.

The previous trial lawyer claimed victory in Texas’ thirty second Congressional District on Tuesday, Nov. 5, after defeating Republican candidate Darrell Day and Libertarian candidate Kevin Hale.

Johnson, 58, tells PEOPLE “it is humbling to win” a seat in Congress, particularly in a state as traditionally conservative as Texas.

“What Texans need are people who find themselves sensible and considerate, who work onerous, are compassionate, can clearly articulate the problems and be an excellent consultant of the folks,” she says.

Johnson was 25 when she got here out in 1991 whereas dwelling within the Dallas space of Texas. Greater than three many years later, she has been elected to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Colin Allred, who challenged Republican Ted Cruz in Texas’ Senate race this 12 months.

In simply six years, Johnson has already overcome main political obstacles. She is the primary Democrat to characterize District 115 within the Texas Home of Representatives in 40 years, having earned a 13-point victory over then-incumbent Matt Rinaldi in 2018.

“It was a press release,” Johnson says. She recalled telling herself, “Do not maintain your self again. Do not make assumptions that you would be able to or cannot do one thing. Do not be your individual barrier to reaching your goals. Push ahead, work onerous, and also you by no means know, you simply would possibly win.”

By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free each day e-newsletter to remain up-to-date on one of the best of what PEOPLE has to supply, from celeb information to forcing human curiosity tales.

Since then, Johnson and her colleagues have handed laws they’re pleased with whereas additionally defending the rights of their constituents. On this previous legislative session, Johnson and her Democratic colleagues had been in a position to kill 141 of the 144 anti-LGBTQ+ payments filed within the legislature, she tells PEOPLE. Within the session prior, 76 of 77 anti-LGBTQ+ payments noticed the identical destiny.

Johnson even helped begin the primary ever LGBTQ+ caucus within the Texas Home of Representatives, a second she stated was transformative within the state’s politics. She was additionally in a position to go a invoice regulating prior authorizations for medicines that deal with autoimmune illnesses reminiscent of HIV.

Now, Johnson is “thrilled” to take her abilities to Congress. She believes it’s “critically necessary” to have LGBTQ+ illustration on Capitol Hill, particularly from a historically conservative space.

“All people must be represented and have their voice and their perspective within the dialog of our governmental discourse,” Johnson says. “All of us need to have a seat on the desk.”

Johnson hopes her election to Congress will permit others to “see themselves in authorities,” one thing she believes is significant to participation within the political course of. She already bought a style of that in Texas.

Shortly after she was first elected to the state legislature, Johnson says she shared a particular second with a girl in her mid-80s. After a protracted hug, Johnson stated the girl tearfully checked out her and stated, “I by no means ever thought that I might be represented in my authorities, ever.”

This time, Johnson will get to characterize the LGBTQ+ neighborhood on the nationwide stage, the place inflammatory rhetoric concerning the neighborhood is on the rise. It’s a combat she grew aware of whereas representing District 115.

As a congresswoman, Johnson hopes to be a voice for the LGBTQ+ neighborhood and maintain these accountable who search to degrade, hurt or discriminate towards members of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood “for their very own political achieve.” 

Johnson says she is “sick” of seeing the LGBTQ+ neighborhood “being a political punching bag,” and aspires to “be a pacesetter” within the passage of the Equality Act, which is one in all her prime priorities as a consultant.

“I am not going to tolerate [bigotry] and never going to have it,” she tells PEOPLE. “I’ll name it out.”

Johnson can be adamant about passing payments just like the John Lewis Voting Rights Development Act, which might broaden the federal government’s skill to crack down on voter discrimination, and the Freedom to Vote Act, which might defend U.S. elections by ending gerrymandering, bettering marketing campaign finance guidelines and implementing different safeguards.

“The best to vote is key and paramount,” the congresswoman-to-be says. “Republicans in Texas are attempting to remove our rights to vote right here, and it is unacceptable.”

Johnson desires to make sure Democrats “really fulfill the legacy that they promised voters” somewhat than permitting guarantees to go empty. “I’ll be a power to guarantee that these votes really occur,” she says.

Together with her newfound energy, Johnson intends to create the change and equality she seeks.

“All of us deserve a possibility to succeed, all of us deserve a possibility to be glad, all of us deserve a possibility to be liked,” Johnson says, “and I’ll combat with each bone in my physique to guarantee that these beliefs are realized.”