Christians react to Equality Caucus celebrating 'gayest Congress in history' as 16 LGBT candidates win seats

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, November 05, 2026

The Congressional Equality Caucus touted what they described as "the gayest Congress in American history" on Thursday after 16 openly LGBT congressional candidates secured electoral victories this week.

"The American people have made their voices heard. The 120th Congress will officially be the GAYEST Congress in history! (that we know of)," the caucus wrote with a rainbow-themed graphic. Along with U.S. flag, pride flag and transgender flag emojis, the caucus added: "Let's get to work."

The American people have made their voices heard. The 120th Congress will officially be the GAYEST Congress in history! (that we know of) Let's get to work ?????????????????????????? https://t.co/gxgh5eHGmB

— Congressional Equality Caucus (@EqualityCaucus) November 5, 2026

The celebratory X post comes as an unprecedented number of openly LGBT candidates — all of whom are Democrats — are slated to serve in the next Congress, including two senators and 15 representatives.

Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., will join Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., as the second gay member of the U.S. Senate and the first openly gay man to serve in the chamber. A Harvard graduate, the 46-year-old Pappas began his political career at 22, when he was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2002. After serving in several elected offices in the state, he became New Hampshire's first openly LGBT member of Congress in 2019.

During his victory speech on Tuesday, Pappas introduced his husband Vann, drawing applause as he said: "Win, lose or draw, I'm the luckiest guy because I'm married to a man that I love."

Joining nine re-elected House incumbents who are openly LGBT, the six newly elected gay representatives include Cait Conley from New York, JD Ford from Indiana, JoAnna Mendoza from Arizona, Jeremy Moss from Michigan, as well as Marni von Wilpert and Scott Wiener from California. Janelle Sarauw, a non-voting delegate to Congress from the U.S. Virgin Islands, is also openly lesbian.

At least 11 trans- and nonbinary-identifying candidates nationwide won legislative races Tuesday, including Rep. Sarah (Tim) McBride, D-Del., according to LGBT outlet Pride Source. The first transgender-identifying member of Congress, McBride's initial election in 2024 prompted an immediate battle on Capitol Hill over congressional bathrooms, spearheaded by former Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.

The Equality Caucus' announcement drew widespread reaction from X users, including from some Christian figures who blamed Evangelicals for not turning out to vote. The Evangelical share of the national vote fell from 23% in 2024 to 17% this year.

"When Christians stay home on Election Day, evil doesn't take a day off," said evangelist Sean Feucht.

"Woke 2.0 will be worse than Woke 1.0," said Kangmin Lee, a Korean-American Christian podcaster.

Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., posted a meme suggesting that while Democrats might have run on affordability and gas prices, their true agenda is forwarding LGBT ideology.

The Congressional Equality Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives was founded in 2008 by then-Reps. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Barney Frank, D-Mass., both of whom were openly gay members of Congress at the time.

According to its website, the caucus "works toward the extension of equal rights, the repeal of discriminatory laws, the elimination of hate-motivated violence, and the improved health and well-being for all regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or sex characteristics (including intersex traits)."

The caucus' flagship bill is the Equality Act, the latest version of which was introduced in the House in April 2025 by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who chairs the caucus as the first openly gay person of Asian descent to serve in Congress. The bill would make gender identity and sexual orientation protected classes under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and critics have warned that it would threaten religious liberty by erasing all legal distinctions between male and female in public life.