10 people who made history
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, youngest woman elected to Congress. Elise Stefanik previously held the record when she was elected to Congress at age 30 in 2014. The progressive challenger and member of the Democratic socialist party unseated a powerful 10-term New York congressman, running with a campaign ad that said: “Women like me aren’t supposed to run for office.”
First Muslim congresswomen
Rashida Tlaib ran unopposed in her race to represent Michigan’s 17th district and has become the nation’s first Palestinian-American woman in Congress, and one of two Muslim women elected on Tuesday. She is a Democratic-Socialist who served on the state legislature from 2009 to 2014.
Ilhan Omar, also the first SomaliAmerican in Congress, is a former refugee who spent the last four years as a state legislator. There, she pushed a progressive agenda, including a $15 (Dh55) minimum wage and subsidising higher education costs for low-income students.
Ayanna Pressley, first black House member from Massachusetts. Pressley was the first black woman to serve on Boston’s city council and made history again after defeating the 10-term incumbent Michael Capuano in the primary. In her victory speech in September, she said: “These times demanded more from our party. These times demanded an approach to governing that was bold, uncompromising and unafraid.”
Marsha Blackburn, first female senator from Tennessee. A Republican who represents Tennessee’s 7th congressional district, Blackburn has become the first female senator in the state. Her race received national attention after the pop star Taylor Swift, who previously avoided politics, endorsed Blackburn’s opponent, the Democratic former governor Phil Bredesen. Blackburn has been closely aligned with Trump.
First Native American congresswomen
Sharice Davids, an attorney and former MMA fighter, she became the first Native American congresswoman and the first lesbian congresswoman from Kansas. Raised by a single mother army veteran and a member of the Wisconsin-based Ho-Chunk Nation, Davids was a fellow in the Obama White House.
Deb Haaland, in New Mexico, became the first Native American woman to chair a state political party. Now, the former Democratic chair has also become the first Native American congresswoman in the US, alongside Davids. A citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, Haaland is a longtime activist who ran on a progressive platform.
Janet Mills, first female governor of Maine, who was the state’s attorney general. She declared victory early yesterday morning and is replacing a controversial and bombastic Republican governor, Paul LePage. She regularly clashed with LePage, who is known for his overtly racist comments and was once caught threatening a state lawmaker in an obscenity-laced voicemail.
Abby Finkenauer, first congresswoman from Iowa. In Iowa, Finkenauer beat the Republican Rod Blum, who has held the seat since 2014. In addition to being the first woman elected to Congress from Iowa, at age 29, she is also one of the youngest people ever elected to the House. She is a twoterm Democratic state representative.
Jahana Hayes, first black congresswoman from Connecticut. The 2016 National Teacher of the Year and first-time political candidate Hayes won her bid to represent Connecticut’s fifth congressional district. Hayes is the first black woman to represent the state in the Congress, and, alongside Massachusetts’ Pressley, will be one of the first two women of colour to represent New England.