At first glance, casual observers might mistakenly assume that Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill and former 7th district Congressman Tom Malinowski—frontrunners for the February 5 special Democratic Primary in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District—are fairly similar candidates. While both candidates have a record of LGBTQ+ allyship, their recent advocacy records look strikingly dissimilar. As would be the hope for candidates on any Democratic ticket: with either choice, LGBTQ+ communities will find an ally. But one thing is certain, as history demonstrates: there is no candidate in the race that brings an empirically demonstrable track record of LGBTQ+ advocacy approaching that of Brendan Gill. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.