Election Results: LGBT Races to Watch

Above: Sims, Dietz, and McEntee

Brian Sims—Pennsylvania House of Representatives - RESULTS: Sims Wins
Running uncontested, Brian Sims was elected to Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives on Tuesday — making him the state’s first openly gay legislator. Sims, 33, will represent the 182nd district in Harrisburg. The son of two retired Army lieutenant colonels, Sims is an attorney widely credited with turning around Equality Pennsylvania, a once-floundering LGBT group that has since pushed successfully for municipal LGBT protections around the state.

Christopher Dietz—Pennsylvania House of Representatives - RESULTS: Dietz Defeated
With all of the precincts reporting, Christopher Dietz lost his race with 45% of the vote. Republican incumbent Susan Helm won by 2,700 votes, with 55% of voters supporting her in Republican-leaning central Pennsylvania. Dietz was engaged in a heated race against Helm, whose campaign staff and supporters sent out vicious mailers slamming him.

Kelly Jean McEntee—Pennsylvania House of Representatives - RESULTS: McEntee Defeated
With all of the precincts reporting, Kelly McEntee lost her race with 35% of the vote. The 24-year Republican incumbent Ron Marsico won by about 10,000 votes, with 65% of the total. McEntee, an engineer, was actively campaigning against Marsico, with efforts including a seven-mile walk from Marsico's house to the capitol building to protest the fact that he was reimbursed for more than $7,000 in travel and meal expenses. Still, Harrisburg's Patriot-News endorsed Marsico, partly because of his seniority on the House Judiciary Committee.