Last week’s election of Susan Allen to the Minnesota House of Representatives means that the LGBT community in Minnesota will have another voice at the Capitol. Allen won the seat that was vacated by Jeff Hayden who won a special election to the Minnesota Senate. She will join LGBT-identified legislators Sen. Scott Dibble and Rep. Karen Clark.

“As a Native woman and lesbian I know what it’s like to be left out, to not have a voice,” Allen said in a statement after winning last Tuesday’s special election. “When this seat became open I felt it was the natural progression of my life’s work to run for it.”

She said one of her priorities will be to help defeat an anti-gay marriage constitutional planned for the 2012 ballot.

“I have been waiting a long time for someone like Susan Allen to come along and join me in the State House,” Rep. Clark said. “Susan’s lifelong fight for social and economic justice and her volunteer work to make people’s lives better will serve the people of the district and the state well.”

The Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund praised Allen’s election.

We’re thrilled for Susan and the remarkable progress her victory represents,” Tiffany Muller, Victory Fund’s vice president for political operations told GayPolitics.com. “This is our first win of 2012, and it’s a fantastic way to start off what will be a very exciting year for LGBT candidates.”