Meet the history-makers of the 2024 election
Updated: 10:58 PM CST Nov 5, 2024
RACE. BUT HERE, LET’S LISTEN IN TO WHAT ANGELA ALSOBROOKS HAS TO SAY. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TO ALEX, YOU KNOW, SHE FORGOT TO TELL YOU ONE IMPORTANT PART OF THAT STORY. SHE’S THE ONE WHO GOT ON THE BUS AFTER I HAD TO RACE AFTER HER FIRST GRADE FRIENDS AND SAID, WELL, WE HAVE TO WAIT. WAIT FOR A CERTAIN 40 YEAR OLD TO COME ACROSS THE PARK. WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, TONIGHT I MUST GIVE CREDIT TO THE ABSOLUTELY UNFAILING GOD THAT I SERVE. ONE WHOSE GRACE HAS BEEN SUFFICIENT AT EVERY TURN. I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH WORDS TO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD, WHOSE FAITH HAS BEEN UNFAILING. I WANT TO THANK HIM SO MUCH. AND JUST A MOMENT AGO I RECEIVED A CALL FROM GOVERNOR HOGAN CONGRATULATING ME ON TONIGHT’S VICTORY. OFFERING HIS CONGRATULATIONS AND THE CONGRATULATIONS OF YUMI. AND I KNOW THAT WE BOTH SHARE A VERY DEEP LOVE FOR MARYLAND AND COMMITMENT. TO MARYLAND. SO I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK HIM SO MUCH FOR HIS SERVICE. NOW I START OFF WITH SOMETHING THAT IS SO OBVIOUS AND IT’S THAT IT COULDN’T BE OVERSTATED. BUT TONIGHT ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU, WITHOUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM AND THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND. SO TO THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO MARYLANDERS. THANK YOU. NOW, IF I NAMED EVERY PERSON WHO SHARES THIS VICTORY WITH US TONIGHT, WE’D BE HERE FOR A FEW HOURS. BUT I CAN’T LEAVE THE STAGE WITHOUT THANKING SOME VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO MADE TONIGHT POSSIBLE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO THE SINGLE MOST INCREDIBLE. THE BADDEST CAMPAIGN TEAM. LET ME TELL YOU, I EVER TO HAVE GRACED THE EARTH. YEAH, THIS TEAM IS INCREDIBLE. AND THEY ARE LED BY THE INCOMPARABLE SHEILA O’CONNELL. OUR CAMPAIGN MANAGER. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO SHEILA, WHO IS WHAT I LOVE TO CALL A SUPER BAD WOMAN. SHEILA LED THIS. SHE FLEW THIS PLANE NO MATTER WHAT. THE WINDS WERE AGAINST OVER $100 MILLION THAT WAS SPENT AGAINST OUR CAMPAIGN. AND WE’RE HERE TONIGHT FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS TEAM WHO GAVE EVERYTHING THEY HAD, THEY LEFT IT ALL ON THE FIELD. THIS WAS THE SINGLE MOST TALENTED TEAM I’VE SEEN. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. I WANT TO THANK THEM SO MUCH FOR THEIR COMMITMENT. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR SHARING THEIR TALENTS WITH ME, AND I CAN’T WAIT TO CONTINUE WORKING AND MAKING YOUR EFFORTS WORTHWHILE. I’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, EMILY’S LIST. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EMILY’S LIST AND IT’S SUPER INCREDIBLE. JESSICA MACKLER, HIGHER HEIGHTS, AND GLENDA CARR. THERE’S A NETWORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY ELECTING WOMEN. I WANT TO THANK THEM SO MUCH. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL LABOR WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE TONIGHT. ALL OF OUR FAITH LEADERS AND FAITH COMMUNITY WANT TO THANK THEM. SO MUCH. DIVINE NINE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE. DIVINE NINE. YES, THE COALITION. YEAH, YEAH, YES YES YES. YES. I’D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. PADDOCK PARTY CAN ALL MEN AND ALSO DOCTOR CHARLENE DUKES WANT TO THANK THEM SO MUCH FOR ALL THEIR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT, ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND ELECTED OFFICE. DON’T WE HAVE THE BADDEST CAPTAIN OF TEAM GOVERNOR WES MOORE WANT TO THANK HIM SO MUCH. ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AND AND OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT. YOU JUST HEARD FROM SENATORS CARDIN AND VAN HOLLEN. I WANT TO THANK THEM. ALL OF OUR THE CONGRESSMEN WHO ARE HERE, I SEE CONGRESSMAN HOYER WANT TO THANK HIM SO VERY MUCH. CONGRESSMAN MFUME, SIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRESSMAN SARBANES. AND WHO OH, CONGRESSMAN RASKIN. YES, CONGRESSMAN RASKIN. YES. AMERICA’S CONGRESSMAN, CONGRESSMAN IVY, WANT TO THANK THEM. DUTCH RUPPERSBERGER THANK THEM SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THEIR SUPPORT AS WELL AS ALL OF MY OTHER BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND ELECTED SERVICE WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT FROM THE STATE SENATE, OUR DELEGATION, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALL THE DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO WORKED SO HARD ON THIS CAMPAIGN TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, ALL OF TEAM ALSO, FOLKS, ALL OF TEAM ALSOBROOKS, EVERY SINGLE VOLUNTEER. THANK YOU. NOT JUST FOR BELIEVING IN THIS MOVEMENT, BUT I THANK YOU FOR WORKING SO HARD TO TAKE THE MOVEMENT TO THE PEOPLE. SO FOR EVERY SINGLE VOLUNTEER WHO OPENED YOUR HOME, WHO OPENED, MET US IN COFFEE HOUSES, MET US IN BACKYARDS FOR ALL THE DONORS WHO CONTRIBUTED, I WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERY PHONE CALL AND EVERY DOOR KNOCK. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND TO THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THAT’S WANDA DURANT, YOU GUYS, TO THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND, ESPECIALLY THE FOLKS WHO CAME OUT. NOW, YOU ALL KNOW WE STARTED A LITTLE LATER TONIGHT AND YOU KNOW WHY THAT WAS? IT WAS BECAUSE OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FIRST TIME VOTERS, SO MANY OF THEM SHOWED UP AT THE POLLS TONIGHT. THEY HAD TO KEEP THE POLLS OPEN LATER BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN CAME OUT TO VOTE TONIGHT. AND SO I WANT TO JUST SAY THANK YOU TO THEM AND ALSO WANT TO JUST GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY HOMETOWN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MARYLAND, PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MARYLAND. THE PLACE WHERE I HAVE GROWN UP, THE ONES WHO I LOVE SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, I WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO MY NEIGHBORS WHO LINED MY STREET AND HOSTED A PEP RALLY FOR ME AS I LEFT MY NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY THAT I HAVE KNOWN THE PEOPLE WHO CHEER EACH OTHER ON. WE’RE GREATNESS GROWS AT TIMES. WE STRUGGLE TOGETHER, AND WE WORK TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN. AND TO THOSE MARYLANDERS WHOSE SUPPORT I HAVE YET TO EARN, I MAY NOT HAVE WON YOUR VOTE, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HEAR YOUR VOICE, AND I WILL BE YOUR SENATOR TO. MIKE PENCE AND THEN THANK YOU. MOST ESPECIALLY TO THE MOST AMAZING FAMILY THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, TO MY SUPER INCREDIBLE BIG SISTER, KIMBERLY SEYMORE, WHO IS MY PROTECTOR AND MY HERO. THE BEST SISTER IN THE WORLD. AND YOU KNOW, KIM, WE’RE GOING TO BE UP PRETTY LATE TONIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING THIS ONE FOR A MOMENT. I’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY PARENTS, JAMES AND PATRICIA. ALSO, BROOKS, MY TWO HEROES. RIGHT OVER THERE, WHOSE VALUES I HOPE YOU SEE REFLECTED IN ME EVERY DAY. AND YOU SEE AS WELL THEIR LOVE, THE PROFOUND LOVE THAT THEY TAUGHT ME FOR OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL. YOU SEE THEIR GRIT, THEIR DETERMINATION AND THE WORK ETHIC THAT THEY PASSED ON TO ME. SO MOM AND DAD, YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THIS COMING, BUT I TELL YOU, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING EVERY DAY OF IT POSSIBLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY GRANDPARENTS WHO WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN HERE TONIGHT, BUT WHOSE LEGACY I CARRY ON. I THANK THEM SO MUCH. THERE ARE TWO OTHER PEOPLE THAT I WANT TO THANK CORA MASTERS, BARRY, I KNOW IS SOMEWHERE IN THE ROOM I WANT TO THANK CORA MASTERS, BARRY AND GEORGE. HAZEL, WHERE ARE YOU? GEORGE? HAZEL, I WANT TO THANK THE TWO OF THEM AS WELL FOR THEIR LOVE. NOW, IT’S REMARKABLE TO THINK THAT IN TWO YEARS, AMERICA WILL CELEBRATE ITS. 250TH BIRTHDAY. AND IN ALL THOSE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, AND ONLY THREE HAVE LOOKED LIKE ME. ELIZABETH. AND SO I WANT TO SALUTE ALL OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE ME, WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO STAND ON THIS STAGE TONIGHT, WHO SACRIFICES AND STORIES. I WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY WITH ME. AND FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART I THANK EACH AND EVERY MARYLANDER TO SERVE THIS STATE. MY HOMETOWN IS THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME, AND THERE ARE FEW PLACES. BE CLEAR LIKE MARYLAND, MARYLANDERS ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING PEOPLE, ABSOLUTELY AMAZING PEOPLE. AND I KNOW HOW AMAZING THEY ARE BECAUSE I’VE HAD THE GREAT HONOR OF TRAVELING ALL ACROSS THIS STATE, MEETING MARYLANDERS WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY LOVE, WHERE THEY WORSHIP, WHERE THEY BUILD BUSINESSES, WHERE THEY EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN, AND WHERE THEY DREAM OF A BETTER DAY. AND I STAND HERE TONIGHT FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO DREAM OF A BETTER DAY. WE STAND TONIGHT UNITED AS ONE MARYLAND. AND TO EACH AND EVERY MARYLANDER I SAY THIS I WILL MAKE YOUR CARE. MY CONCERN, YOUR HOPE, MY FOCUS AND YOUR DREAMS. MY WORK IN THE DAYS AND YEARS TO COME AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO DID NOT VOTE IN THIS ELECTION. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I SEE YOU TOO, AND THAT I WILL NEVER STOP WORKING TO PROVE THAT PUBLIC SERVICE THAT THE WORK WE DO CAN AND MUST CHANGE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE FOR THE BETTER. YEAH, YEAH. YES. AND LASTLY, I STAND HERE TONIGHT FOR MY NORTH STAR, FOR MY REASON FOR BEING MY INCREDIBLE DAUGHTER, ALEXANDRA. ALEX SHOULD KNOW THAT I FIRST RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE BECAUSE OF HER. AND I RAN FOR THE SENATE BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU. FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE ELDERS OF OUR COUNTRY. ABOUT THE FUTURE THAT YOU ONE DAY WILL INHERIT. AND THE COUNTRY THAT I KNOW WE ALL CAN BE. I KNOW THAT WE CAN BE A COUNTRY THAT YELLS LESS AND LISTENS MORE, THAT FEARS LESS AND TRUSTS MORE. WHERE WE SEE THE HUMANITY IN EACH OTHER BEFORE THE HATEFUL WORD. AND AS DIVIDED AS WE MAY FEEL IN AMERICA. I STILL BELIEVE THERE IS NO US AGAINST THEM. THERE IS ONLY US. YEAH, AND WITH THE RIGHT LEADERSHIP, WE CAN GET BACK TO A PLACE WHERE WE CELEBRATE EACH OTHER MORE, WHERE WE SEE THE HUMANITY IN PEOPLE BEFORE THE HATEFUL WORD OR THE HATEFUL DEED. A PLACE WHERE OUR ECONOMY IS FAIRER AND OUR DEMOCRACY IS STRONGER. A PLACE WHERE WOMEN’S HEALTH IS PROTECTED, WHERE HARD WORK IS REWARDED, AND WHERE GOVERNMENT EXISTS NOT TO ELIMINATE OUR FREEDOMS, BUT TO CELEBRATE AND ADVANCE THEM. A PLACE WHERE YOU AND YOUR GENERATION AND ALL THE GENERATION, OUR KIDS GENERATIONS CAN ENTER THE WORKFORCE KNOWING THAT NOT ONLY WILL YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM, BUT THAT YOUR CHILDREN WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS AS WELL. AND I’VE OFTEN SAID, AND I’LL SAY IT AGAIN, I THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE AS I’VE TRAVELED ACROSS THE STATE IS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AND IT IS MY GREAT DESIRE THAT EACH OF OUR FAMILIES THAT ALL OF US WILL NOT LIVE ON THE MARGINS, BUT IT IS MY DESIRE THAT YOU WILL LIVE BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS. THAT IS WHAT I WILL WORK FOR AND A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU CAN DREAM AND BE WHATEVER YOU WANT IN THIS COUNTRY. AND SO TO ALEX, TO ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, TO ALL OF OUR PARENTS. I SAY TO YOU THAT THIS IS THE AMERICA THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR, TO MAKE IT WORK FOR EACH ONE OF YOU SO THAT YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THE AMERICAN DREAM, THAT WE TOGETHER CAN REINFORCE THE VALUES THAT WE SHARE AS AMERICANS, THE DEMOCRACY THAT WE BELIEVE IN, THAT WE BELIEVE IN FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS, THAT WE BELIEVE OUR LEADERS SHOULD HAVE INTEGRITY AND BE DECENT PEOPLE. THIS IS WHAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR. AND AS I’VE SAID A FEW MONTHS AGO IN CHICAGO, IT’S ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN. AND YOU HEARD ME SAY THAT WE HAVE ENDURED FOR A NIGHT, AND NOW JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM STILL HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL LEARN LATER TONIGHT THAT THAT JOY WILL BE LED BY A WOMAN, BY MY FRIEND. OUR NEXT PRESIDENT, KAMALA HARRIS. TOMORROW BEGINS THE HARD WORK OF MAKING EVERY DAY THAT COMES THE NEXT A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE ONE BEFORE IT. AND THAT’S A FIGHT WORTH FIGHTING. AND THAT’S A FIGHT WE ARE GOING TO WIN. AND SO AGAIN, I SAY TO EACH OF YOU, I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. WHAT A WONDERFUL HONOR. I CAN’T WAIT TO BE YOUR NEXT SENATOR REPRESENTING YOU IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. AND LET ME SAY, ONE OTHER THING BEFORE I LEAVE. HOW LUCKY HAVE WE BEEN TO HAVE SENATOR BEN CARDIN REPRESENTING US AS SENATOR FROM THE GREAT STATE OF MARYLAND, A MAN WHOSE INTEGRITY AND BRILLIANCE NOT ONLY BENEFITED MARYLANDERS, BUT BENEFITED OUR WHOLE COUNTRY? AND SO I SAY TO SENATOR BEN CARDIN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR MYRNA, HIS WIFE IS HERE AS WELL. I WANT TO THANK THE TWO OF THEM. SO MUCH FOR THEIR SERVICE. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND WE THANK YOU. I’D ALSO BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OTHER PERSON I WANTED TWO PEOPLE. MY PASTOR, JOHN K JENKINS, AND TRINA JENKINS, ARE HERE TONIGHT. I CERTAINLY WANT TO SALUTE THEM AND THANK THEM SO MUCH FOR THEIR LOVE AND THEIR GUIDANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LOVE ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU
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Meet the history-makers of the 2024 election
Updated: 10:58 PM CST Nov 5, 2024
Aside from the presidential race, Tuesday’s election was one of historic firsts for legislators in various states. Here’s a look at some of the history-making results.Angela Alsobrooks, MarylandDemocrat Angela Alsobrooks is projected to be the first Black senator from Maryland, defeating Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive, will also be the second female senator from Maryland after Democrat Barbara Mikulski.The projected election of Alsobrooks and Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester to the Senate will mark the first time that two Black women have served simultaneously in the chamber.Video above: Angela Alsobrooks delivers victory speechSarah McBride, DelawareDelaware state Sen. Sarah McBride was elected to the U.S. House and will become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress.McBride easily defeated Republican John Whalen IIII on Tuesday in the race for Delaware’s lone House seat. Whalen is a retired construction company owner and former state trooper who ran a shoestring campaign in his first bid for public office. McBride, meanwhile, has established a national profile as an LGBTQ activist and raised more than $3 million in campaign contributions from around the country. She achieved national recognition at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention in the United States.After scoring an easy Democrat primary win in September, McBride said she was not running for Congress to make history, but instead “to make historic progress for Delawareans.”Andy Kim, New JerseyDemocratic U.S. Rep. Andy Kim was elected Tuesday to the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw for the seat that opened when Bob Menendez resigned this year after his federal conviction on bribery charges.Kim, a three-term congressman from the 3rd District, in central New Jersey, becomes the first Korean-American in the Senate. In a recent interview, he said that accomplishment would validate his parents’ decision 50 years ago to immigrate to the United States. He was the state’s first Asian-American to be elected to Congress when he defeated a Republican incumbent in 2018. A former Obama administration national security aide, Kim was a Rhodes Scholar and has a Ph.D. from Oxford. He’s presented himself as an unassuming, hard-working official and gained national attention in 2021 when he was spotted cleaning up the U.S. Capitol after the Jan. 6 insurrection, bagging trash.His victory keeps a reliably Democratic seat under his party’s control. He is also expected to take up the seat sooner than January because of Menendez’s resignation. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has said that George Helmy, who is serving the remainder of Menendez’s term, will step down and the winner of Tuesday’s election would be appointed.Kim, 42, was first elected to Congress by defeating Republican Tom MacArthur, an ally of former president Donald Trump ally. He’s now been re-elected three times. During the campaign, Kim said he would oppose tax breaks for the wealthy and support abortion rights.Julie Fedorchak, North DakotaRepublican Julie Fedorchak is projected to become the first woman elected to the U.S. House from North Dakota, winning the open seat for the state’s at-large district. Fedorchak, an elected member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission, will succeed GOP Rep. Kelly Armstrong, who is running for governor.Bernie Moreno, OhioRepublicans prevailed Tuesday in a must-win Senate race in Ohio, as Trump-backed Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno defeated Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown with control of the chamber hanging in the balance.With spending that hit $500 million, it was the most expensive Senate race this year and one of the most expensive in U.S. history.Moreno, 57, who was born in Colombia, will be the first Latino to represent Ohio in the Senate. He won in the Republican-leaning state with a campaign that cast Brown as “too liberal for Ohio,” using false or misleading claims about Brown’s votes related to immigration and transgender athletes. Moreno also worked to tie Brown, a third-term incumbent, to President Joe Biden and his vice president, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, on border security.Brown’s defeat marked another win for a candidate endorsed by the former president, whose backing in the state lifted “Hillbilly Elegy” author JD Vance into politics and on to become his vice presidential running mate. Trump appeared in ads for Moreno in the final days of the campaign.Lisa Blunt Rochester, DelawareDemocrat Lisa Blunt Rochester is projected to be the first Black and first female senator from Delaware, winning an open seat to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Carper, her onetime boss. Blunt Rochester, who is in her fourth term representing Delaware’s at-large U.S. House district, was also the first woman and first Black person elected to Congress from the First State.The election of Blunt Rochester and Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks to the Senate will mark the first time that two Black women have served simultaneously in the chamber.Josh Stein, North CarolinaDemocrat Josh Stein will be the first Jewish person elected governor of North Carolina, the Associated Press projects, defeating scandal-plagued Republican nominee Mark Robinson. Stein, the state attorney general, will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.Julie Johnson, TexasDemocrat Julie Johnson will be the first out LGBTQ person elected to Congress from Texas, the Associated Press projects, winning the open race for the state’s 32nd Congressional District. Johnson, a state representative, will succeed Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who ran for Senate.Yassamin Ansari, ArizonaYassamin Ansari will be the first Iranian American Democrat elected to Congress, the Associated Press projects, succeeding Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District. The daughter of Iranian immigrants, Ansari is a former member of the Phoenix City Council.Suhas Subramanyam, VirginiaDemocrat Suhas Subramanyam will be the first Indian American elected to Congress from Virginia, the Associated Press projects, winning the open race for the commonwealth’s 10th Congressional District. Subramanyam, a state senator whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from India, will succeed retiring three-term Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton.
Aside from the presidential race, Tuesday’s election was one of historic firsts for legislators in various states.
Here’s a look at some of the history-making results.
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Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland
Democrat Angela Alsobrooks is projected to be the first Black senator from Maryland, defeating Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive, will also be the second female senator from Maryland after Democrat Barbara Mikulski.
The projected election of Alsobrooks and Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester to the Senate will mark the first time that two Black women have served simultaneously in the chamber.
Video above: Angela Alsobrooks delivers victory speech
Sarah McBride, Delaware
Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride was elected to the U.S. House and will become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress.
McBride easily defeated Republican John Whalen IIII on Tuesday in the race for Delaware’s lone House seat. Whalen is a retired construction company owner and former state trooper who ran a shoestring campaign in his first bid for public office.
McBride, meanwhile, has established a national profile as an LGBTQ activist and raised more than $3 million in campaign contributions from around the country. She achieved national recognition at the 2016 Democratic National Convention as the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention in the United States.
After scoring an easy Democrat primary win in September, McBride said she was not running for Congress to make history, but instead “to make historic progress for Delawareans.”
Andy Kim, New Jersey
Democratic U.S. Rep. Andy Kim was elected Tuesday to the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw for the seat that opened when Bob Menendez resigned this year after his federal conviction on bribery charges.
Kim, a three-term congressman from the 3rd District, in central New Jersey, becomes the first Korean-American in the Senate. In a recent interview, he said that accomplishment would validate his parents’ decision 50 years ago to immigrate to the United States. He was the state’s first Asian-American to be elected to Congress when he defeated a Republican incumbent in 2018.
A former Obama administration national security aide, Kim was a Rhodes Scholar and has a Ph.D. from Oxford. He’s presented himself as an unassuming, hard-working official and gained national attention in 2021 when he was spotted cleaning up the U.S. Capitol after the Jan. 6 insurrection, bagging trash.
His victory keeps a reliably Democratic seat under his party’s control. He is also expected to take up the seat sooner than January because of Menendez’s resignation. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has said that George Helmy, who is serving the remainder of Menendez’s term, will step down and the winner of Tuesday’s election would be appointed.
Kim, 42, was first elected to Congress by defeating Republican Tom MacArthur, an ally of former president Donald Trump ally. He’s now been re-elected three times. During the campaign, Kim said he would oppose tax breaks for the wealthy and support abortion rights.
Julie Fedorchak, North Dakota
Republican Julie Fedorchak is projected to become the first woman elected to the U.S. House from North Dakota, winning the open seat for the state’s at-large district. Fedorchak, an elected member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission, will succeed GOP Rep. Kelly Armstrong, who is running for governor.
Bernie Moreno, Ohio
Republicans prevailed Tuesday in a must-win Senate race in Ohio, as Trump-backed Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno defeated Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown with control of the chamber hanging in the balance.
With spending that hit $500 million, it was the most expensive Senate race this year and one of the most expensive in U.S. history.
Moreno, 57, who was born in Colombia, will be the first Latino to represent Ohio in the Senate. He won in the Republican-leaning state with a campaign that cast Brown as “too liberal for Ohio,” using false or misleading claims about Brown’s votes related to immigration and transgender athletes. Moreno also worked to tie Brown, a third-term incumbent, to President Joe Biden and his vice president, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, on border security.
Brown’s defeat marked another win for a candidate endorsed by the former president, whose backing in the state lifted “Hillbilly Elegy” author JD Vance into politics and on to become his vice presidential running mate. Trump appeared in ads for Moreno in the final days of the campaign.
Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware
Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester is projected to be the first Black and first female senator from Delaware, winning an open seat to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Carper, her onetime boss. Blunt Rochester, who is in her fourth term representing Delaware’s at-large U.S. House district, was also the first woman and first Black person elected to Congress from the First State.
The election of Blunt Rochester and Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks to the Senate will mark the first time that two Black women have served simultaneously in the chamber.
Josh Stein, North Carolina
Democrat Josh Stein will be the first Jewish person elected governor of North Carolina, the Associated Press projects, defeating scandal-plagued Republican nominee Mark Robinson. Stein, the state attorney general, will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.
Julie Johnson, Texas
Democrat Julie Johnson will be the first out LGBTQ person elected to Congress from Texas, the Associated Press projects, winning the open race for the state’s 32nd Congressional District. Johnson, a state representative, will succeed Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who ran for Senate.
Yassamin Ansari, Arizona
Yassamin Ansari will be the first Iranian American Democrat elected to Congress, the Associated Press projects, succeeding Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District. The daughter of Iranian immigrants, Ansari is a former member of the Phoenix City Council.
Suhas Subramanyam, Virginia
Democrat Suhas Subramanyam will be the first Indian American elected to Congress from Virginia, the Associated Press projects, winning the open race for the commonwealth’s 10th Congressional District. Subramanyam, a state senator whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from India, will succeed retiring three-term Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton.
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