Do you remember Zach Wahls, the guy who spoke up in support of same-sex marriage to the Iowa House of Representatives in 2011? You might remember the heartfelt video where 19-year-old Wahls defended the love of his two mothers in a message that went viral with over 19 million views and one of the most watched videos of the year.
In his speech, Wahls said before the Iowa Supreme Court:
I'm not really so different from any of your children. My family really isn't so different from yours. After all, your family doesn't derive its sense of worth from being told by the state, 'You're married, congratulations!'
If I was your son, Mr. Chairman, I believe I would make you very proud.
I get the feels all over again just watching that.
Fast forward to 2018, Wahls, now 26-years-old, took home a victory during election night on November 6th. According to The Hill and other news outlets, Wahls will take over the State Senate District 37 seat and will succeed Senator Bob Dvorsky (D). Wahls took home a large victory with 78% of the vote against libertarian candidate Carl Krambeck.
Wahls ran a campaign on championing affordable health care, advocating for gun control, improving education, and fighting for workers’ rights. But it was his inspiring speech that was the catalyst for his desire to create change by running for office these years later.
In a statement on election night, Wahls shared:
I hope tonight marks a fresh start for Iowa. We must all come together to bring real reform to our health care system, restore a tradition of excellence to our public education system and raise incomes for Iowa’s working families. It’s time to start thinking about the future of our state again.
h/t: The Hill
