Joe Vogel is primed to be one of our next great gay political stars. The Maryland state delegate is running for Congress next year, and he just raked up endorsements from two of the most prominent LGBTQ+ legislators in the country.
This week, U.S. Reps Richie Torres (D-NY) and Mark Takano (D-CA) endorsed Vogel’s candidacy, the Washington Blade reports. They join the Equality PAC, which endorsed Vogel earlier this month.
“In Maryland, state Del. Joe Vogel has a strong track record of standing up for our community and will make sure this swing seat elects someone who will fight for equality,” said Torres and Takano in a press release. “As we speak, our community is facing an unprecedented level of attacks, targeting trans people, children, and families. Making sure we have representation in Congress is a critical component to protecting these vulnerable communities.”
Vogel, 26, was born in Uruguay and immigrated to Maryland when he was three years old. One of the youngest members of Maryland’s House of Delegates, he’s introduced more than 75 bills, including a measure to establish a commission on hate crime response and prevention. Gov. Wes Moore signed that bill into law in May.
In addition to being LGBTQ+, Vogel would make history as Maryland’s first Latino congressman. While he recognizes the significance of those potential accomplishments, he says he wants his voting record to ultimately define him.
“When you hear about the issues that I’m focused on on the campaign trail, it’s issues that matter to every person in this district, regardless of your gender identity or sexual orientation,” he told the Blaze.
“It’s mental health, it’s gun violence, it’s the climate crisis, it’s job creation, it’s transportation, it’s housing rights. All of these issues that affect every family in this community, but … I think we need more people who understand what it’s like to be part of [the LGBTQ] community and will make our issues a priority.”
Even though Vogel is only in his mid-20s, he’s already stockpiled years of political experience. He volunteered on Barack Obama‘s 2012 campaign when he was just 15, and worked as an intern for Nancy Pelosi. As a student at George Washington University, he took a year off to work for Hillary Clinton‘s 2016 presidential campaign.
After that, Vogel, who earned his master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School (not too shabby!), interned for Chuck Schumer, and later worked on Cory Booker’s 2020 presidential team.
Politics and public policy runs in Vogel’s family. His father’s job as a diplomat for the International Monetary Fund brought his family to the U.S.
Vogel was sworn into the Maryland House of Delegates early this year.
The incumbent in Vogel’s district, Rep. David Trone, is running for retiring U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin’s seat. Alongside Vogel, Stephen McDow and state Del. Lesley Lopez are running to replace Trone, who carried the 6th Congressional District by nearly 10 percentage points last cycle.
There was a “rainbow wave” last November, with at least 400 out LGBTQ+ candidates winning their elections, according to the Victory Fund. We’re already seeing an array of impressive LGBTQ+ candidates declare for the next cycle, including Will Rollins for Congress in California and Alex Mohajer for State Senate in California. If Mohajer wins, he would become the first out gay Iranian man elected in the world.
Vogel, who’s been talking to LGBTQ+ people around his district this Pride season, knows first-hand about the importance of representation.
“We’ve been all over the district during Pride month and having conversations with people from Cumberland to Frederick to Gaithersburg about the challenges facing our community, the progress we’ve made and what the future holds,” he said. “I think folks are excited about the representation that we’re offering and I want people to know that I take these issues personally. I will be a champion for our community in Congress.”
We need as many fighters like Vogel as possible. Scroll down for more shots of him campaigning around the Free State and advocating for his constituents…
Mister P
Racked up? Raked in?
Prax07
Great for him, but jeez, I’d never vote for someone so young.
Huron132
Why? Youth is the shot we need in the political arena. We need new and hard working blood to create a future. Right now the average age in congress is around 58. We all know how this country is going backwards. Please look at any candidates accomplishments not age. But all in all, who you choose is your choice and that is democracy.
man5996853
Because a 50 year old moron would be preferably to a Harvard-educated, politically experienced 20-something? Sure.
LegionKeign
Then you shouldn’t vote.
He’s been involved in politics since he was 15 eff’n years old and has interned/worked for some of the biggest names in Washington and has already had a bill signed by his governor.
What more would you like from him before he meets YOUR rigorous standards?
Perhaps you’d prefer another sinema or manchin.
The only sticking point I have is his father’s ties to the IMF which is NOT a good organization. They trap poor countries into taking loans at exorbitant interest rates they can never pay off and allow corporations to exploit them for their natural resources and cheap labor.
Invader7
Are you happy with the senior citizens we have now? The USA NEEDS young, fresh ideas and talent !!
dbmcvey
Very cool! Goodluck to him! We need fresh people and new ideas.
edwardnvirginia
So … let’s see
a POSH PRIVILEGED international elite(ist … representing one of the WEALTHIEST, PRIVILEGED, ELITE(ist) counties in Maryland …
what sort of boring story is that. Same old same old from Democrats.
It he is so great – and perhaps he it?! – he should move to rural western Maryland and work his queer-magical-charms there.
Queerty should be supporting, and highlighting, the electoral victories of queer legislators in NOT-posh, NOT-privileged, NOT-elite working class districts, many of them being rural.
Unless Ds do that there is a good chance Ds will lose in 2024.
Kangol2
His potential new district would encompass rural western Maryland.
Invader7
Girl.. Who chapped your ass ? We should have as many D’s in office .PERIOD.
Mr-DJ
Alex, Alex, Alex …. You RACK up endorsements, not RAKE.
Kangol2
Let’s see how long it takes Alex/Queerty to figure this out or if they just ignore it.
still_onthemark
Queerty writers are usually “unphased” (unfazed) by such criticisms.
Sharky
I’m surprised your comment is still standing. A while back I pointed out an error (that the late actor/interior designer William Haines starred in the movie Midnight Express). Did they correct the mistake? Not likely, just deleted my comment.
edwardnvirginia
MD Congressional 6th has elected a ‘D’ since 2012. I hardly think a Vogel win would mean much. Vogel in Congress would not likely change any roll call votes. It is typical of queer media to make a big deal of ‘fashionable, trending interests’ rather than sustaining – over decades – grassroots networks with working class voters, rural voters, and independent voters.
Kangol2
Vogel would be a reliably liberal vote. That’s better than an R or a waffly D in that seat.
The current US Congress has 13 gay, lesbian and bisexual members. There is one lesbian US Senator, Democrat Tammy Baldwin, who represents a state that is largely rural and small-town (Wisconsin), and one who’s bisexual, Independent Kyrsten Sinema, who represents a state that also has a large rural population, with several large cities and suburban areas. All but one of the 11 LGBTQ Congresspeople are Democratic, and one, Torres, represents a mostly poor and working-class Latino/Black district; the only Republican is the charlatan pathological liar George Santos, whose district is split between urban (Queens) and suburban (Nassau County) voters.
Would rural White voters, which I assume you’re thinking of, support an out gay Democrat? Certainly independent voters of all races would (cf. Davids, Garcia, Takano, etc.). Are you working with gay Democratic candidates to ensure they connect with grassroots networks of “working-class voters, rural voters, and independent voters”?