The 2024 general election brought a wave of setbacks for many Democrats across the U.S., culminating in former President Donald Trump securing another four years in the White House. However, in Florida, the LGBTQ community saw significant victories, with key allies winning crucial seats. U.S. House Representatives Maxwell Alejandro Frost and Darren Soto, both strong queer allies, secured re-election in their Central Florida districts. Locally, the State Senate saw the victory of Kristen Arrington, who defeated Jose Martinez in District 25. She will join Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, who won his District 17 seat uncontested during the primaries. Smith, who previously served as a State House Representative, filed for the open Senate seat last year and became the sole candidate by the June 14 deadline. With no opposition in the race, he assumed office on November 6. This victory makes him only the second openly gay senator in Florida’s history, following in the footsteps of Senator Shevrin Jones, who made history in 2020. Smith is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights and has been challenging Governor Ron DeSantis' attacks on LGBTQ youth. He is also Florida’s first gay Latino senator, marking another milestone in the state's political landscape. Queer News Tonight was granted an exclusive interview with Smith This will be his first-ever interview following the victory. Let’s take a look. #Queer Up South Florida & Florida