Forty Under 40

Brian Sims • 33
Philadelphia
Candidate, Pennsylvania House of Representatives

The state that spawned the political career of Rick Santorum may be seeking a little redemption on the national landscape. And Pennsylvania may find it in Democrat Brian Sims, who, in an April 24 primary, is attempting to unseat a Democratic incumbent in the state House. There’s no Republican challenger in the race, so the victor will likely take office. If that’s Sims, he’ll be the state’s first openly gay legislator.

The son of two retired Army lieutenant colonels, Sims is widely credited with turning around Equality Pennsylvania, a once-floundering LGBT group that has since pushed successfully for municipal LGBT protections around the state.

But Pennsylvania woefully lacks comprehensive LGBT rights laws. Sims is fighting to change that. “Pennsylvania is not an  archaic state,” he says.