This year, Republican Sheriff Paul Babeu, who was outed in 2012 by his ex-boyfriend, is running for an open seat in Arizona. Professor and businessman Dan Innis is seeking a primary rematch against Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.). And Jacquie Atkinson, a gay Marine Corps combat veteran, is running to unseat Rep. Scott Peters
(D-Calif.), who narrowly defeated another gay Republican, Carl DeMaio, in a vicious race two years ago.

Lawyer Chrys Kefalas, another gay Republican, is vying for the chance to replace retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.).

“I was really disappointed the glass ceiling wasn’t
broken last time. We need a seat at the table,” said DeMaio, a former San Diego city councilman who often discusses LGBT issues on his talk radio show in Southern California. “The party does need to evolve. The only way you do that is get people inside the party who are able to touch hearts and change minds.”

However, anti-gay rhetoric from many of the GOP’s presidential contenders appears to be complicating that effort.