In rebuke to Brian Sims, Pa. LGBTQ leaders back his straight opponent

More than 40 LGBTQ leaders from across the state of Pennsylvania announced at a press conference on March 3 that they are endorsing one of two opponents of gay Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims for lieutenant governor in the state’s May 17 Democratic primary.

The LGBTQ leaders, who held their press conference at Philadelphia’s William Way LGBT Community Center, said they were backing State Rep. Austin Davis in the lieutenant governor’s race on grounds that he is a strong and committed supporter of LGBTQ rights and has the best chance of winning in the general election in November. The move is a stunning rebuke to Sims, who has previously been endorsed by national LGBTQ groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and the LGBTQ Victory Fund.

Davis is a first-term legislator from Western Pennsylvania and, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, is relatively unknown outside of his part of the state.
If elected, he would become the state’s first African-American lieutenant governor. The LGBTQ leaders also announced their endorsement of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro who is running unopposed for governor in the Democratic primary, in his race for Pennsylvania governor in the Democratic primary. Shapiro announced earlier this year that he has endorsed Davis for lieutenant governor and considers Davis as his running mate in the May primary.

The decision by the LGBTQ leaders to back Davis over Sims — who became the second openly LGBTQ person to serve in the Pennsylvania General Assembly — will likely come as a surprise to LGBTQ activists outside of Pennsylvania, many of whom have supported Sims for re-election to his state House of Representatives seat representing Center City Philadelphia. Critics of Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims say he has failed to pass legislation after 10 years in office.

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2022/03/04/in-rebuke-to-brian-sims-pa-lgbtq-leaders-back-his-straight-opponent/