Misty K. Snow, a 31-year-old grocery store cashier who is also transgender, won the Utah Democratic nomination for Senate. Snow, who openly transitioned in 2014, is trying to become the first Democratic senator from Utah in nearly 40 years. She is the second transgender person to secure a major party nomination in a national election.
The unapologetic progressive decided to run after party front-runner Jonathan Swinton, who describes himself as a “conservative Democrat,” expressed his desire to defund Planned Parenthood. Believing Utah deserved a more liberal alternative, Snow threw herself into the race. If Snow hadn’t decided to run, Swinton would have secured the nomination uncontested. Her decision to face Swinton led to the first Democratic primary in Utah since 1992. The results were striking; Snow won by receiving 60 percent of total votes.
Coming out of the Sen. Bernie Sanders vision of a more liberal America, Snow hangs her political hat on raising the minimum wage, paid maternity leave, marijuana legalization, wall street reform and clean energy and air.
