Voters in Wisconsin sent Democrat Tammy Baldwin to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, making her the first open lesbian to be elected to the upper chamber, CNSNews.com reports. Baldwin, who was the first openly homosexual candidate to win election to the House in 1998, defeated former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists called her victory the "crown jewel" in a night of victories that voters handed to homosexuals. "Tonight, we achieved historic victories in the fight for LGBT equality," said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "We secured our first-ever electoral victories for marriage in Maine, Maryland and Minnesota; Tammy Baldwin is headed to the U.S. Senate; and President Obama secur[ed] a second term." Chuck Wolfe, president of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, said Tuesday will "go down in history. ... Tonight Tammy shattered a glass ceiling that has existed for more than two centuries, and we could not be more thrilled."
