SALT LAKE CITY -- Hillary Clinton is not the only woman making history at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
“I have people asking me for selfies, I have people asking me for autographs,” said Misty K. Snow.
Snow is running for U.S. Senate, hoping to unseat incumbent Utah Senator Mike Lee. She is also believed to be the first transgender Senate candidate atop a major party’s ticket. While her status representing transgender people has brought national media attention, she said most of the people at the convention are interested in her story for a different reason.
“I have more people talk about me being a millennial, if I was like in the U.S. Senate, I would be the first millennial in the U.S. Senate, a voice for my generation,” Snow said.
Her opponent, Senator Lee, drew his own swarm of national media attention at the Republican National Convention when he led Utah’s delegation, screaming from the convention floor, to try and force a rules vote. It was seen by most as an effort to undermine Donald Trump’s eventual nomination.
“I feel that it might hurt him among some of the Trump supporters,” said Snow, though she admits Trump doesn’t have a lot of support in Utah.
Snow trails Senator Lee by a wide margin in terms of campaign fundraising. From January 2015 til April 2016, Senator Lee has reported contributions of nearly $2.5 million. Snow’s data started once she won her party’s nomination, and from April 2016 through the end of June she reported contributions totaling just under $12,000.
Though the gap is large, Snow is hoping her pitch to potential donors at the DNC could start drawing donations.
“If there was ever a chance to get a Democrat elected in Utah, this is the year, and I think they should really consider contributing to my campaign,” Snow said.
She is set to speak to the LBGT caucus on Thursday, before the convention wraps up in Philadelphia.
