Amid The Blue Tsunami, A Night Of Many Firsts

Democrats won up and down the ballot in the midterms, and votes are still being counted on what could ultimately be a 75-seat House majority and 54 or more seats in the Senate.

There also were many firsts, reflecting the party’s diverse coalition that helped them score victories even in deeply red states.

Among them:

The first Black woman governor: Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, was a sizable victory over Republican Rick Jackson. In her victory speech, she recalled visiting the grave of her great-great grandmother, who was born in 1845, 20 years before emancipation. “I know I am standing on shoulders made of steel,” she said.

The first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate: Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) won election to the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire by a significant margin Republican defeating John E. Sununu. “Win, lose or draw, I am the luckiest guy because I am married to a man I love,” Pappas said in his victory speech after embracing his husband.

The first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate: Abdul El-Sayed emerged the winner after a race filled with drama — including national attention to primary rival Haley Stevens endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers in the race’s final days. In his victory speech, El-Sayed noted that it would be JD Vance who would be swearing him in in January. Vance characterized him as an extremist and Trump called him a jihadist. “Donald, I know you struggled with my name. So after JD swears me in in January, you can just go on and call me senator,” El-Sayed said.

The first Native American woman elected governor: Deb Haaland easily defeated Republican Gregg Hull to win the statehouse in New Mexico.

The first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate: Peggy Flanagan defeated sports broadcaster and Republican Michele Tafoya for an open seat in Minnesota.

Other firsts: Xavier Becerra is the first Latino elected governor of California, Gina Hinojosa is the first Latina elected governor of Texas, Amy Acton is the first woman elected governor of Ohio and David Crowley will be the first Black governor of Wisconsin. Annie Andrews also became the first woman elected Senator in South Carolina. On the Republican side, Marsha Blackburn is the first woman elected governor of Tennessee, and Byron Donalds will be the first Black governor of Florida.

Democrats also savored victories after decades in the wilderness. James Talarico is the first Democrat to be elected to the U.S. Senate in Texas since 1988, Andrews is the first in her party to win a South Carolina seat in the upper chamber since 1998, and Adam Hamilton is the first in Kansas since 1932.