Our Favorite Progressive Candidates in 2026 - Joanna Whaley, Michigan House of Representatives District 2
The road from evangelical megachurch clergy to trans progressive election candidate is an unlikely journey, but it does happen! Joanna Whaley (she/her) is a former pastor at a Michigan evangelical megachurch, but actively undergoing “conversion therapy” for 15 years, during most of her time serving there. Joanna transitioned in 2022 and was forced to leave her church, but has become an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and outspoken critic of Christian nationalism, a world she was immersed in for most of her early millenial adult life.
Joanna was motivated to run after lots of encouragement from local leaders and community members, due to the fact that her current state representative, Tullio Liberati, was one of eight Democrats to vote last year for a Republican measure that would ban trans girls from school sports. Though Tullio is retiring at the end of his term, his older brother Frank decided to run to replace him. It did not turn out well for the Liberati brothers though, as Joanna defeated Frank by almost 25 percentage points. The core of Joanna’s platform is to get utilities in check, pass, single payer healthcare in the state of Michigan, and protect civil rights and freedom for all people. If elected in November, she will become the first trans woman elected to the Michigan legislature, quite a stunning turnaround from the current representation in her district.
Where are you based?
Lincoln Park
What position are you running for?
State House of Representatives District, two.
How would you briefly summarize your platform?
I am running to get monopoly utilities and check, pass single payer healthcare through the MiCare act, and protect civil rights and freedom for every person in the state of Michigan.
What inspired you to run?
Running for office was never on my bingo card. Before getting into politics, I was an LGBTQ rights advocate across the state of Michigan. This advocacy began after I lost my job as a pastor of 20 years because it came out as transgender. It was that I have a new of advocacy work that I began after picking up my life that eventually led into politics. I was invited to speak at a no Kings rally in our local area and it was after I spoke that people in the community began asking me to run for office.
What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
I want to bring present leadership that works diligently on the issues that our cities and communities are dealing with. For nearly 20 years we have had State Representatives who were all the same family who have not been very present in the entirety of the district. This is the number one change I plan to bring to our representation.
What do you consider to be your major accomplishments so far?
This is my first ever run for public office. I ran up against a Legacy family who is very well-known politically in our community and across the state and it ended up winning by 22 points in the primary. But some of the more tangible things we did during our campaign was provided nearly $11,000 in financial aid to families who were struggling when snap benefits were cut off by the federal government. We delivered hundreds of gallons of water to families across the city of Melvindale, Michigan when the water was shut off to the entire city. Much of the city does not speak English and our team translated many of the city notices into a different language for people so that they could get the proper information. On top of these things, I have also been present at nearly every city council meeting for the last 14 months being present with the community, listening to their concerns first hand.
What do you feel are the most important issues right now, why, and how do you plan to tackle them?
We have a major issue in the state of Michigan with Monopoly utilities, who are gouging our residence and making it impossible for our cities to keep up with the rising cost of maintaining infrastructure. One of my key plans is to reform how monopoly utilities can set rates in the state, direct funds from the state level to help with city budgets when it comes to infrastructure projects, and I want to end monopoly utility marketing in the state of Michigan. This is necessary because consumers do not have a choice about their utility companies so the utility company should invest their marketing dollars into infrastructure to lower the cost for every day people.
America is extremely divided these days. How would you hope to bridge that divide with your constituents to better unite Americans?
I tend to experience the divisions in America firsthand. One of my Top campaign expenses is armed security. For a down ballot race this is absolutely crazy. I will draw from the tenants of my faith when division and nastiness is thrown at me. I will turn the other cheek and continue to do the right things. Coming from an evangelical background in my career I know how to speak to Republicans clearly and in ways that they agree with. I plan to fight for the policies that I believe in our Party believes are necessary while saying it and fighting for these things in a way that can bring Republicans along. All I ask is residents to lay down their ideas of trans people and listen to my words and actions.
How do you see your unique identity and background to be an asset to you in office?
It is very rare to have a politician, who is LGBTQ and seminary trained in government. I do believe that with the uses of Christianity from the other side of the aisle that I will be able to speak a language of inclusion to all sides of an argument. Being a progressive Christian does not mean I am an exclusive one.
What is your motto in life?
Fight for a world that is welcoming of all people. And work hard every day to build that world.
Where can we find out more about you?
www.joannawhaley.com
@joannawhaleyofficial on all social channels.
Instagram: joannawhaleyofficial
Facebook: joannawhaleyofficial
TikTok: joannawhaleyofficial
The road from evangelical megachurch clergy to trans progressive election candidate is an unlikely journey, but it does happen! Joanna Whaley (she/her) is a former pastor at a Michigan evangelical megachurch, but actively undergoing “conversion therapy” for 15 years, during most of her time serving there. Joanna transitioned in 2022 and was forced to leave her church, but has become an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and outspoken critic of Christian nationalism, a world she was immersed in for most of her early millenial adult life.
Joanna was motivated to run after lots of encouragement from local leaders and community members, due to the fact that her current state representative, Tullio Liberati, was one of eight Democrats to vote last year for a Republican measure that would ban trans girls from school sports. Though Tullio is retiring at the end of his term, his older brother Frank decided to run to replace him. It did not turn out well for the Liberati brothers though, as Joanna defeated Frank by almost 25 percentage points. The core of Joanna’s platform is to get utilities in check, pass, single payer healthcare in the state of Michigan, and protect civil rights and freedom for all people. If elected in November, she will become the first trans woman elected to the Michigan legislature, quite a stunning turnaround from the current representation in her district.