A night of firsts: Historic victories by Black, Native, and LGBTQ+ candidates reshape US politics

A wave of firsts ran alongside the Democratic gains in the 2026 midterms, carrying members of groups long kept largely at the margins into high office across the United States.The scale of the losses that Democrats handed to President Donald Trump will be what the election is remembered for.But the results also elevated the country's first Black female governor, the first Native American female governor, the first Native female senator and the first openly gay male U.S. senator.Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds celebrates his election night win with his wife Erika at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood (Reuters)By early Wednesday, the first Muslim U.S. senator had joined the list of barrier-breaking milestones. The blue wave also means the United States will likely have its first-ever Black speaker of the House. Election parties from New Mexico to Georgia erupted in cheers and happy tears late Tuesday as those outcomes became clear.Most of the candidates who broke new ground are Democrats, though the GOP has done so as well. Some of these candidates avoided focusing on the inherent historic value of their race, gender, religion or sexual orientation.Here are some of the races where history was and could be made.Deb Haaland makes history as first Native American woman elected US governorDeb Haaland made history as the first Native American woman elected governor in U.S. history. The Democrat defeated Republican Gregg Hull, a former mayor, to win the top job in New Mexico. She celebrated the moment at a victory gathering with her supporters.Haaland is a Laguna Pueblo citizen. She told the crowd that Native Americans are still here, despite past efforts by the federal government to strip them of their languages and culture. “Tonight, in our nation's 250th year, I stand before you as the first Native American woman elected governor in U.S. history,” Haaland told ecstatic supporters at a victory celebration.Democrat Deb Haaland reveled in her history-making moment of becoming the first Native American female governor in U.S. history (AP)Her win in New Mexico adds another first to her career. In 2018, she was one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress. She later became the first Native American Cabinet secretary, leading President Joe Biden's Department of the Interior.The first Native American member of a Cabinet came much earlier: Charles Curtis, from the Kaw Nation, served as President Herbert Hoover's vice president. Oklahoma is the only state that has previously elected a tribal citizen as governor. Democrat Johnston Murray held the office in the 1950s, and current Republican governor Kevin Stitt is also a tribal citizen.Peggy Flanagan defeats Michele Tafoya to become nation's first Native American woman senatorPeggy Flanagan, Minnesota's lieutenant governor, has won a U.S. Senate seat, becoming the first Native American woman to serve there.Her victory helps Democrats win back control of the chamber. Flanagan is a citizen of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She defeated Republican Michele Tafoya, a former NFL sideline reporter.Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has become the first Native American female U.S. senator, helping Democrats win back the Senate (AP)Had Tafoya prevailed, she would have been the first Republican of Latina heritage to sit in the U.S. Senate. In Alaska, another history-making result remains possible while votes are still being tabulated. Mary Peltola, a Yup'ik Democrat, could become the first Alaska Native U.S. senator.Her race to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan remains undecided.Keisha Lance Bottoms makes history as first Black woman elected governor in US historyA barrier that had stood for 250 years in the United States fell on Tuesday night, when Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was declared the winner of the Georgia governor's race.No Black woman had ever been elected governor of a state. Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor, defeated Republican Rick Jackson, a billionaire businessman.“Tonight should remind us all that no matter what community we come from, Georgia is not defined by one moment in time or by one person,” Bottoms told euphoric supporters. “It's been defined by all of us, and I will be a governor for everyone in this state."Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was declared the winner Tuesday night in the Georgia governor's race (Getty)Her victory also makes her Georgia's first governor of color. All 83 previous governors have been white men.In Minnesota, Lisa Demuth missed the chance to become the first Black female governor. The former Minnesota House speaker lost to longtime U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.Before Bottoms, Stacey Abrams was the only Black woman to come close to winning a gubernatorial race. Abrams secured the Georgia Democratic Party's nomination in 2018 and 2022.Abdul El-Sayed defeats Mike Rogers in Michigan to become first Muslim US senatorAbdul El-Sayed is set to become the first Muslim American to serve in the U.S. Senate.The contest to represent Michigan in the chamber was called for him early on Wednesday morning. His Republican opponent was Mike Rogers. The battle between the progressive Michigan Democrat and Rogers has drawn national attention, particularly after El-Sayed's primary opponent endorsed Rogers.Democratic US Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed reacts during an Election Night rally (Reuters)El-Sayed, who was born in Michigan, has worked as an epidemiologist. Republicans all the way up to Trump have implied or overtly stated that he is not American and supports terrorism. Trump has called him “dangerously radical" and “too extreme” and referred to him as “Mohammed."El-Sayed and his supporters have denounced the attacks as Islamophobic or racist affronts to religious freedom.Chris Pappas defeats John E. Sununu to become first openly gay US senatorNew Hampshire has sent Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas to the U.S. Senate. His victory makes him the first openly gay man to serve as a U.S. senator.Pappas defeated Republican John E. Sununu, a former U.S. senator who has served in both chambers of Congress. The milestone has not been a focus of Pappas's campaign, however.He said: “I’m not running to make history.”Historic night triples the number of Black US governors as Florida and Wisconsin break barriersThe number of elected Black governors in the United States tripled in a single night, after a 250-year history in which only three had ever won the office.Byron Donalds, a Republican, and David Crowley, a Democrat, became the first Black governors of Florida and Wisconsin, respectively. Their wins came as Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the third Black governor in U.S. history and the only one currently serving, won reelection on Tuesday. With Bottoms' victory in Georgia, two Deep South states will be governed by a Black leader for the first time.Moore, chair of the National Governors Association, has called the presence of so many Black gubernatorial contenders “a unique moment.” It's not “an applause line” but a challenge to make diverse gubernatorial nominees more common, he said. Latino politicians, both Democrats, will also take on the highest state office in two of the biggest states.Gina Hinojosa greets supporters outside Whataburger following her victory in the US midterm elections (Reuters)Texas voters rejected Gov. Greg Abbott in favor of Gina Hinojosa, who will be the state's first Latina governor.In California, Xavier Becerra, the state's former attorney general, outpaced Republican Steve Hilton.Juliana Stratton wins Illinois Senate seat as state makes history with two women of colorJuliana Stratton's win makes Illinois the first state represented by two female senators of color.Stratton defeated Republican Don Tracy on Tuesday. She is Illinois' current lieutenant governor. She will succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin. Her fellow Democratic senator, Tammy Duckworth, is of Thai heritage.Stratton's win also means three Black women will serve in the Senate. The midterm has been a record-breaker for women seeking state and federal offices.Nearly 300 women, including incumbents, were running for the U.S. Senate and House, per Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP).