Transgender woman announces bid for mayor of Midvale, Utah
If elected, Sophia Hawes-Tingey would become the second out transgender mayor in the United States
An openly transgender woman has thrown her hat into the ring for next year’s mayoral race in Midvale, Utah, a town of about 30,000 residents just outside of Salt Lake City.
Sophie Hawes-Tingey, who previously ran for a seat on the town’s council in 2015, has announced she is seeking to become the next mayor. She will be holding her first official press conference as a candidate on Saturday, Nov. 19.
Hawes-Tingey is currently the vice chair of the Community Council in Midvale and the coordinators for the Midvale Precinct Community Watch program.
A Navy veteran, she is also the director of the Judiciary Committee for the Women’s State Legislative Council of Utah.
“What I love most about Midvale is that the people are diverse, welcoming and fiercely protective of their community,” she said in a statement announcing her candidacy. “I see myself as a leader who puts community first, listens to the needs of community, and cares to put those needs into action.”
If elected, Hawes-Tingey would become the third openly LGBT person serving in local office in Salt Lake County, behind Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and Salt Lake City Councilman Derek Kitchen. She would also become the second openly transgender mayor in the United States, following Stu Rasmussen, who served as the mayor of Silverton, Ore., from 2009-2014.
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