Barriers of race, gender broken

Washington, Nov. 8: What is already the most diverse Congress ever will become even more so after Tuesday's elections, which broke barriers of race and gender.

For the first time, a pair of Native American congresswomen are headed to the House, in addition to two Muslim congresswoman. Massachusetts and Connecticut will also send black women to Congress as firsts for their states, while Arizona and Tennessee are getting their first female senators.

The high-profile midterm cycle that produced a record number of women contenders and candidates of color means a number of winners will take office as trailblazers. The inclusive midterm victories bode well for future election cycles, said Kimberly Peeler-Allen, cofounder of Higher Heights for America, a national organization focused on galvanizing black women voters and electing black women as candidates.

“This is going to be a long process to get us to a point of proportionate representation, but tonight is a giant step forward for what leadership can and will eventually look like in this country,” Peeler-Allen said. She added that even women of color who were unsuccessful will inspire a new crop of candidates, similar to the white women encouraged to run after Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential election loss.

Some of Tuesday's black female pioneers, like Illinois nurse and Democrat Lauren Underwood and Connecticut teacher and Democrat Jahana Hayes, were first-time candidates. Others, like Massachusetts' Ayanna Pressley, were political veterans. Most were considered longshots. –AP