Social barriers broken down in the US mid-term elections

ACROSS the US, women, LGBTQ and black candidates have broken barriers as part of a new generation of politicians elected to governor’s offices and seats in Congress.

A Massachusetts Democrat has become the country’s first openly lesbian candidate to be elected to the office of governor.

In Maryland, voters elected the state’s first black governor.

Vermont will finally send a woman to Congress, after being the only US state not to ever have female representation in the House of Representatives.

The number of women serving as governors will hit double digits for the first time in 2023, with at least 12 women set to lead states.

Ten had already won their races; two other races had not been decided but featured women candidates in both parties.

The US has never had more than nine female governors in office at a time, a record set in 2004, according to the Centre for American Women and Politics.

One of the winners, Maura Healey, is the first woman to be elected to Massachusetts’ top post and also makes history by becoming the country’s first openly lesbian candidate to be elected governor.

And if Democrat Tina Kotek wins Oregon’s gubernatorial race, she may join Ms Healey in making history as a lesbian candidate elected governor.