Out Pa. State Rep. Brian Sims Announces Bid for Lt. Governor

Brian Sims, the openly gay and Pennsylvania state representative who won a fifth term in last year's elections, announced that he will seek the office of Lt. Governor, Philadelphia news channel NBC 10 reports.

"The races for governor and lieutenant governor will take place in 2022, but both are expected to get crowded with candidates this year," the news channel writes.

"Gov. Tom Wolf will not be able to run again after serving two terms and incumbent Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has already announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat that incumbent Pat Toomey is retiring from when his term ends next year. Sims lost no time in announcing his intention to take Fetterman's place as the state's second in command, posting a video in which he referenced "the values my Army officer parents instilled in me."

"To take responsibility," Sims said in the video. "To show empathy. To have courage. And to be authentic. I want to put those values to the direct service of the commonwealth."

Sims pointed to a "a lack of leadership" that he suggested has plagued politics "over thee last number of years," and declared, "We need adults in the room."

Though Sim's direct style has resonated with voters, it has also made him the target of attacks from the political right. Last summer a fellow lawmaker, Republican Tom Murt (now retired), called the police after a phone call with Sims in which Sims reportedly took him to task over his opposition to a comprehensive legislative package of LGBTQ protections. Murt alleged that Sims had used profanity in the call.

Sims responded at the time, "Lol in my entire life I've never said these things to Tom or anyone else. I did make it abundantly clear to him that killing the effort to advance LGBTQ legislation in Pennsylvania with his weird campaign effort is something that I'd make sure advocates knew about. And they do."

But the accusations go both ways: Sims called out another Republican lawmaker, Doug Mastriano, after one of Mastriano's Facebook followers appeared to threaten Sims for criticizing Mastriano's alleged participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building.

"I believe Doug Mastriano's actions meet the elements required for seditious conspiracy," Sims stated. "He should be indicted, tried, and convicted."

Mastriano's Facebook follower posted what appeared to be a not-so-veiled threat reading: "Brian Sims has been rubbing me the wrong way for a few yrs. Maybe I'll pay him a visit".

"Trying to get me killed, @SenMastriano?!?" Sims tweeted in return, going on to demand that Facebook take down Mastriano's account.

Watch Sims' video announcement of his candidacy below.