In a historic wave of election results, the 2024 ballots are shaping up to bring significant milestones to U.S. political representation. Winners across federal and state races are breaking new ground, marking major firsts for diversity and inclusivity in American leadership.
A Republican win in the presidential race would see Ohio Senator JD Vance become the first millennial vice president. Meanwhile, Congress and state executive offices are poised to welcome a broad range of newly elected leaders from various backgrounds and communities.
Among the notable victors are Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester from Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks from Maryland, projected to become their states’ first Black senators and the first two Black women serving simultaneously in the U.S. Senate.
Notable Firsts in Congress: In the House of Representatives, North Dakota’s Republican Julie Fedorchak is projected to become the state’s first female representative in its at-large district, leaving Mississippi as the only state never to have elected a woman to the U.S. House.
The Democratic Party also sees notable strides in LGBTQ representation: Sarah McBride of Delaware, who won the state’s at-large House seat, will be the first transgender person elected to Congress. Additionally, Julie Johnson of Texas will become the first openly LGBTQ individual from the state to win a federal office, adding representation to the country’s second-largest state.
Breaking Barriers in Governorships: Among a select number of governorships on the ballot, Democrat Josh Stein has made history in North Carolina, where he is projected to become the state’s first Jewish governor, adding to the list of groundbreaking wins this election year.
State-by-State Historical Wins:
Ohio: Bernie Moreno is expected to become Ohio’s first Latino U.S. Senator, unseating incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown. Originally from Colombia, Moreno’s victory marks a new milestone for Latino representation in the state.
Washington: Emily Randall, a Democrat, is set to become the first openly LGBTQ person from Washington state elected to Congress, succeeding Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer in the state’s 6th district. Randall, who is Chicana, will also be the first openly LGBTQ Latina in Congress.
New Jersey: Democrat Andy Kim’s projected win secures him a place as the first Korean American senator, representing New Jersey, as well as the state’s first Asian American senator.
Maryland: Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic Senate nominee, is projected to become Maryland’s first Black senator, defeating former Republican Governor Larry Hogan. Alsobrooks joins Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware as part of the first cohort of Black women to serve concurrently in the Senate.
North Dakota: In the state’s at-large district, Julie Fedorchak’s projected win makes her North Dakota’s first woman elected to the U.S. House.
Delaware: Lisa Blunt Rochester will make history as Delaware’s first Black and female senator, while Sarah McBride will become the first transgender member of Congress. McBride will also represent Delaware as the first openly LGBTQ person elected to Congress from the state.
Texas: Julie Johnson, a Democrat from Texas, is set to be the state’s first openly LGBTQ representative in Congress, representing Texas’s 32nd Congressional District.
Arizona: Yassamin Ansari is projected to become the first Iranian American Democrat elected to Congress, representing Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District.
Virginia: Suhas Subramanyam’s expected win makes him Virginia’s first Indian American representative in Congress, winning the open seat in the 10th Congressional District.
These projected results highlight a transformative election year, as newly elected officials reflect the growing diversity of the nation. As additional races are finalized, this list of history-making candidates will be updated to capture all milestones from the 2024 elections.
