Transgender Army vet running for state delegate in red Maryland district is all about showing up

"In one of Maryland's most reliably Republican legislative districts, a fast-growing, exurban area just 40 miles from the nation's capital, transgender U.S. Army veteran Alleria Stanley is mounting a campaign that challenges both political expectations and the boundaries of representation. With anti-trans legislation surging nationwide and local offices becoming flashpoints in the culture wars, her bid for the Maryland House of Delegates positions her at the crossroads of national tension and regional transformation."

"Maryland's Legislative District 4 is not the kind of place where Democrats usually launch insurgent bids, and certainly not the type of district where out transgender candidates emerge. Stretching across much of Frederick County, northwest of Washington, D.C., where Appalachian foothills meet the outer reaches of the capital's commuter belt, the district has been a Republican stronghold for decades. In 2020, Republicans made up roughly 45 percent of the electorate, while Democrats accounted for 31 percent, and Republicans currently hold all three state House seats."

""I enjoy serving," she told The Advocate in an interview. "I did 20 years in the Army, serving my patients, my clinical staff, and my soldiers. After I got out of the Army, I started working in the advocacy field, and now it's an opportunity to continue that service here for the people in my district, all the people in my district.""

Alleria Stanley, a transgender U.S. Army veteran and retired radiology technologist, is running as a Democrat for the Maryland House of Delegates in Legislative District 4, a longtime Republican stronghold in Frederick County. The district lies about 40 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., and combines rapid exurban growth with Appalachian foothill geography. The 2020 electorate was roughly 45 percent Republican and 31 percent Democratic, and Republicans hold all three state House seats. Stanley is a combat veteran, mother of five, widow, and advocate for transgender veterans who emphasizes continued public service while confronting national anti-trans momentum.

Read at Advocate.com