This study investigates the electoral impact of sexual orientation and gender identity, focusing on more than 3,000 candidates during the 2015 UK General Election. It is the first quantitative analysis to explore how a candidate's sexual orientation affects election outcomes.

The research builds upon existing literature examining the influence of gender and ethnicity by developing an original dataset that merges individual-level campaign data with constituency-level sociodemographic indicators, including political experience, education level, and spending amounts alongside sexuality.

Key Findings:

The study reveals that LGBT candidates generally did not negatively impact their party's vote share. Even in constituencies perceived as more conservative based on prior measures of social attitudes, these candidates performed just as well or better than straight counterparts.

Implications:

The findings suggest a complex dynamic at play during the 2015 election period regarding representation and political competition. The results indicate that descriptive representation may not have been penalized—perhaps challenging assumptions about voter sentiment related to sexual orientation in those specific circumstances.