Last year, 19-year-old Andrew Niquette was bitten by the political bug. Now, he wants to be a force for change in his South Georgia hometown.
Niquette is openly gay. In a new interview with Project Q Atlanta, he explains that he first became interested in politics during the 2016 Presidential campaign after working for both the Sanders and Clinton campaigns, and attending the Democratic National Convention.
“I went to the convention and I had an amazing time,” he says. “Following the convention, I was picked up by the Democratic Party to serve as the Deputy Regional Organizing Director in South Florida for the campaign for Hillary. So for the rest of the election up until the general election I was in South Florida.”
Now, he’s back in his hometown of Albany, Georgia, where he now plans to run for the Georgia General Assembly next year against 20-year incumbent Rep. Winfred Dukes.
“One of the things I really wanted to be involved with was local politics,” he explains. “I wanted to really get involved to really help out my own community, my own town.”
Niquette is no stranger to being targeted because of his sexuality. Last year, a former Georgia lawmaker criticized his “lifestyle” in a scathing email sent to leaders of the Georgia Democrats. The email was sent shortly after Niquette announced his bid for a seat with the county party.
Rep. John White blasted out a picture of Niquette innocently kissing his boyfriend, along with a message that said, “I have ZERO Tolerance for this lifestyle.”
“Stuff like that has happened more than once,” Niquette tells Project Q Atlanta. “I’ve gotten homophobic comments.”
But he’s not letting a few internet bullies get in his way.
“One of my main goals now is to try to change local politics here and to try to get more people involved in all ways. Especially now, to get people to understand that equality doesn’t really stop at a certain race or a certain religion or a certain ethnicity.”
If elected to the Georgia General Assembly next year, Niquette will be the youngest person to ever serve in the Georgia General Assembly. He says one of his main focuses will be on equality.
“There’s only so much I can do as one person in terms of LGBT rights and civil justice and everything,” he says, “but I will make sure to make that a major point in my campaign.”
h/t: Project Q Atlanta
benwa
Damn now that is one attractive Dem. Good to see the new interest in politics, both from women and LGBTQ*. I hope these new comers have the backbones missing in their predecessors. Sure there a few who have them but when it come time to voting they all seem weak in their rhetoric. It sound like he has what it might take, I wish him well!
1EqualityUSA
Pave it blue. Andrew Niquette, thank you.
ErikO
Too bad he’s a boring conformist democrat instead of working for the green party or libertarian party and working towards actual change and social progress as both the Democrat and Republican parties are the same and have been for decades.
1EqualityUSA
so when are you running, ErikO?
1EqualityUSA
My spouse says Andrew Niquette is from another era. I believe her. If his face graced a daguerreotype tin photo, it would pass. Youth. Democrat. Gay. It gives me hope. It also makes me wonder if the Koch bros are going to scour the backgrounds of every Democratic-leaning politician who dares to run against their precious GOP-bought-n-paid-for-by-a-corrupt Supreme Court majority, made that much more corrupt by not allowing Judge Merrick Garland a hearing. Charlie’s Angels-style, are the Koch bros sending out their detectives, tailing their targets, taking photographs? (Sweeping music with a disco backbeat) 2018 is an important year, and they know this. Let’s watch the news and see how many unearthed stories get coverage. Are they getting help? Shall we do the same, or are GOP incumbents so stupid that they get caught all by their unique talents without the benefit of bought and paid for detectives from deep, dark pockets of endless cash? Thanks, SCOTUS politicians seated on the bench; Opus Dei-care Note to young persons going into politics, squeaky clean, lest you find dark ones digging around in your inner sanctum. Truffle-pigs, domestic creatures, can smell truffles three feet underground. Know this; the GOP will dig up your truffles. More sweeping music.
fur_hunter
It is the young, open-minded people of today who will make major changes in the political thinking of tomorrow. I am so glad this young man has the brass to join the fray. I wish him much luck and success. I lived in Atlanta from 1970 till I retired in 2013 and moved away. I have seen much progress in that southern capital in those 42+ years. If it can happen anywhere in the South, it will most likely happen in Atlanta first. Unfortunately, Mississippi and Alabama will remain in the Dark Ages for all eternity.
1EqualityUSA
Here is what the Dem’s are up against. The GOP is freaking, because seats that have been held for two decades are being threatened but young Democratic civil rights oriented politicians. The Koch bros are coming to the rescue. New York Times on 3 Pulitzers (Congratulations.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/us/politics/as-a-house-race-tightens-in-kansas-republicans-see-a-possible-warning-sign.html?mabReward=CTM2&recp=1&moduleDetail=recommendations-1&action=click&contentCollection=Middle%20East®ion=Footer&module=WhatsNext&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&src=recg&pgtype=article