Only two states in the country, Louisiana and Mississippi, have never elected an openly LGBTQ legislature.
Now there will be only one.
Fabian Nelson won Tuesday’s Democratic primary in Mississippi’s 66th state house district, southwest of Jackson, where Republicans have no candidate on the ballot.
Mr. Nelson, 38, was raised in the Mississippi Delta by politically active parents.
But while he said he believed it was important to have a gay man in the state legislature, the historic nature of his campaign was never his focus. While campaigning in South Jackson, he talked about the city’s water crisis and crime. When campaigning in rural areas, he talked about broadband access and economic development.
DailyExpertNews spoke to Mr. Nelson after his win. The interview has been edited and shortened.
Q. Tell us about yourself: your background, your family, what prompted you to run.
A. I come from a very politically motivated family. My father is a leader in the community and he has worked with many of our elected officials.
I remember going to the polling station with my mom every time my mom voted. I watched my parents fight every day to help people in the community, whether it was helping people pay their rent, helping people pay their light bills, donating food, donating clothes.
When I was in fourth grade, we went to the Mississippi State Capitol, and I remember walking into the galley to look at the floor of the house. I saw these guys in suits and these big old high-backed chairs. I remember looking down and saying to my teacher, “One of these days I’m going to sit there.”
Q. This is your second time running for this seat. What was different this time?
A. The first time I entered a special election, so I had about a month. I’ve done community work, but I’ve mostly done behind-the-scenes work, so a lot of people didn’t know who I was. Then the special elections were just right when Covid hit. We really couldn’t go out, knock on the door, meet people – I couldn’t do anything but social media and post applications.
I said this time I’m going to make sure I do everything I can to get in front of every single person I can get in front of. I’m going to be a household name. That doesn’t guarantee people will vote for me, but everyone in this district will know who Fabian Nelson is.
We knocked on everyone’s door five times. The first two times I walked around I just introduced myself. The third time, then I sat down and developed a platform.
Q. Mississippi is one of only two states that have never elected an openly LGBTQ legislature. Did you know that when you started your campaign?
A. Frankly, I thought Mississippi was the only one. I didn’t know it was Mississippi and Louisiana. Mississippi, we are always the last to do the right thing. I said, So we have to beat Louisiana this time so we don’t get number 50. Now I am happy to say that we are number 49.
Q. What does it mean to you to be the first in Mississippi?
A. I’ve talked to so many people who say, “We’re hopeful now. It feels like we’re in a new place.”
What I want people to understand is that Mississippi now has someone who is going to fight for everyone. I’m going to fight for people in District 66 – those are the people I represent. The issues I’m going to fight for are my platform issues. But if anti-LGBTQ legislation comes along, and I know it will, I’m going to fight it every day.
I’m not just going to the Capitol to fight against anti-LGBTQ laws. But we cannot allow any group to be discriminated against. It’s okay to disagree with someone, it’s okay to disagree with someone’s lifestyle, but it’s not okay to impose on that person’s civil liberties and civil rights. When we look back at our African American community, slavery was promoted because it is written in the Bible. That was used to keep my people oppressed. And so there is no room for oppression of any group of people.
Q. Politically, this is such a complicated time because there is a flood of anti-LGBTQ legislation, and at the same time we are seeing greater representation in government and public life. How do you navigate in it?
A. You’ve heard the saying, if you’re not sitting at the table, you’re having lunch. We’ve been eating lunch for so long. The point is our politicians can come out and stand on the steps of the Capitol and say, ‘Oh, we love the community, we’re going to do everything we can to help you, we’re going to fight for you. love, love, love,” then enter the Capitol and close the door – you don’t know what they say. And before you know it, a damaging piece of legislation is coming out.
Now that someone is sitting at the table, they can no longer follow that path. It makes it so much more difficult. Once we started having African Americans elected to office, we started to see things change, because you can’t sit in the Capitol and have the same conversations you had before we sat down at the table.
Q. Was this brought up when you campaigned? Was it something you talked to people about?
A. My campaign was strictly focused on the issues of District 66, because I ultimately represent District 66, and I represent the issues that are relevant to District 66. My platform was not, “I’m the first openly gay man,” because that helps no one. It doesn’t make me a better legislator or a worse legislator. People voted for someone who had experience, people voted for someone who will make a positive impact in our community, and people voted for a fighter.
But I come from a family of firsts: my grandmother was the first African-American nurse [at a hospital in Yazoo City, Miss.]My father was one of the first African Americans to complete dental school at Virginia Commonwealth University.
And so I said, I have to raise the bar somehow. My kids will really have to raise the bar.