Former Douglas Democratic chair announces run for lieutenant governor

Former Douglas County Democratic Party Chair Kimi Cole announced Wednesday that she is seeking the office of lieutenant governor.

Openly transgender, Cole would become the first transgender person to serve in statewide office in the United States if elected.

Cole serves as the chair of the of the Rural Nevada Democratic Caucus.

“I have long advocated for more investment by the Party in Nevada’s rural counties,” she said.

Her work organizing rural Democrats has served as a model for state Democratic parties across the nation.

She currently lives in Carson City. She publicly transitioned a decade ago and is a champion for LGBTQ+ rights.

Cole has been a Nevadan since 1956, currently based in Carson City, and is a retired construction project manager.

She has been involved in Nevada Democratic politics since 2012.

The office has been open since Sept. 17, when Lt. Gov. Kate Marshall resigned to take a position as senior advisor to governors with the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.