Bentley Hudgins wins Georgia Assembly seat as first out trans and nonbinary state lawmaker

Georgia voters have elected Bentley Hudgins to the state House, making the longtime organizer the first out transgender and nonbinary person elected to the Georgia General Assembly.

The Democrat defeated Republican Samantha Boston in House District 90, according to Decision Desk HQ, which called the race at 8:19 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday night.

With 84 percent of votes counted, Hudgins led Boston 94 percent to 6 percent.

Hudgins, a 2026 Out100 honoree who uses they/them pronouns, will also be the legislature’s first Japanese American member, according to LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.

Related: Nonbinary Georgia Democrat Bentley Hudgins set to make history: ‘Hope is a discipline’

Their campaign emphasized the everyday conditions that shape whether residents can build stable lives: reliable water, affordable housing, transit, wages, and investment in neglected neighborhoods.

In a May interview with The Advocate, Hudgins described experiencing housing insecurity and years of hearing loss before receiving treatment. Those experiences informed their argument that public officials should listen to people whose needs institutions had dismissed.

“I wanted to really resonate with the shared experiences that I have with my neighbors,” they said then.

Hudgins previously served as the Human Rights Campaign’s Georgia state director. Their organizing work also included helping residents document gun violence and press officials for neighborhood improvements.

HRC President Kelley Robinson celebrated Hudgins’ victory.

"The folks in Georgia’s 90th District have come to learn what we at HRC have known for years - that Bentley Hudgins is a fierce advocate, an inspiring leader, and a champion of equality," Robinson told The Advocate in a statement. "Bentley, who will become the first trans state legislator elected from the South, will join the Legislature as someone who knows how to make change in a hurry, and that’s good news for all Georgians."

She added, "We’ll never stop rooting for our former colleague, and we are so excited to continue working with them in their new role. Congratulations, Bentley!"