Iowans have elected the first transgender representative to serve in the state Legislature.
Democrat Aime Wichtendahl of Hiawatha won the race for the open seat in Iowa House District 80 in the Cedar Rapids area. On IPR’s River to River, Wichtendahl said it was late into the night Tuesday before she was sure she had won.
“It was a lot of different emotions processing on Tuesday evening," Wichtendahl recalled. "Excited to be elected to the House of Representatives and excited to do the people’s work. But also concerned about the trends we saw both statewide and nationwide, as I believe a lot of people are concerned for.”
I will do whatever I can to work across the aisle, but I will also push back when the ideas do threaten the livelihoods and freedoms of our citizens. Aime WichtendahlAime Wichtendahl
Wichtendahl, 44, is a freelance writer and consultant with U.S. Cellular. In 2015, she made history as the first transgender elected official in the state when she was voted onto the Hiawatha City Council. She has served in that position for nine years.
She now joins a Democratic minority in the Iowa House that lost ground in this year’s elections. Based on the current unofficial results, Republicans would hold enough seats to form a supermajority in the chamber.
Wichtendahl says she believes she can still influence her priorities, which include promoting public education and protecting LGBTQ rights.
“I will do whatever I can to work across the aisle," she said. "But I will also push back when the ideas do threaten the livelihoods and freedoms of our citizens.”
Her election to the Statehouse comes as several other transgender representatives made history around the country, including Sarah McBride of Delaware, who will be the first transgender member of Congress.
Listen to the full conversation with Wichtendahl on River to River.
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