Lesbian councilwoman sticks it to Ron DeSantis by hosting a drag show victory party

On Tuesday, out lesbian Patty Sheehan celebrated winning her seventh term on the Orlando City Council with a performance by drag queen Darcel Stevens at her victory party.

While surely in part just for fun, the move was also likely a way to stick it to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the rest of the Florida GOP, who have spent the past several years demonizing drag queens and the rest of the LGBTQ+ community.

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Journalist Jacob Ogles wrote on X that Sheehan’s first words to him on their phone call post-victory were: “I’m ecstatic, and yes I had a drag queen at my victory party.”

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Sheehan’s win makes her the longest-serving elected official in Orlando history – and it was far from a close call. She won 64.4% of the vote against opponents Katie Koch (25.6%) and gay Trump supporter Randy Ross (10.0%).

“They threw all the negative nonsense they could at me,” Sheehan said, according to Florida Politics.“I resoundingly won, and I’m delighted. They tried to use my sexuality. It was a lot of nonsense. I work hard and that’s what really matters to voters. I advocate for inclusion and diversity.”

DeSantis signed a drag ban on May 17, which allows the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation to revoke the business licenses of any venues that allow minors to see drag performances, even if their parents consent, as well as issue $5,000 and $10,000 fines against the business. Anyone who violates the law can be charged with a criminal misdemeanor.

But right now, the law is under a temporary injunction, which was issued by federal Judge Gregory Presnell in late June after the restaurant chain Hamburger Mary’s, which features drag waitresses and family-friendly drag performances, successfully sued Florida over the law, saying it harmed its business and violated its constitutional free speech rights. In July, a second judge refused to lift the injunction.

Sheehan is not the only LGBTQ+ candidate celebrating this week. 148 LGBTQ+ candidates won their elections Tuesday night. A few particularly notable wins included Virginia Del. Danica Roem (D), who made history as the first transgender state senator elected in her state; Rue Landau, who won an at-large seat on the Philadelphia City Council, making history as the first out LGBTQ+ candidate to win election to the council; and Fabian Nelson, who won the general election to represent District 66 in the Mississippi House, making history as the first out LGBTQ+ candidate to win election to the state legislature.