Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr (D) won reelection Tuesday, assuring her return to the state Capitol in January nearly two years after her Republican colleagues censured her over language she used to oppose legislation banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr -- the first openly trans lawmaker in the state -- has won her bid for re-election to the Montana House of Representatives after she was censured and barred from the House floor for almost two years.

Missoula representative Zephyr retained her seat, winning 83 per cent of the vote. Zephyr has become an increasingly prominent voice for LGBTQ+ rights in Montana and across the US. She was famously censured in 2023 over her vocal opposition to an anti-trans law.