NEW YORK: From the first openly lesbian governor to the first elected Gen Z member of Congress, early results in the U.S. midterm elections heralded a good night for diversity.
In Massachusetts, voters elected Democrat Maura Healey as America’s first lesbian governor, television networks screened.
The 51-year-old beat Geoff Diehl, who had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, to topple office for Republicans.
She said she was “proud” of her historic win, telling her cheering supporters it sent a message “to every little girl and every LGBTQ person out there, you can be anything you want to be”.
Healey will also become Massachusetts’ first female governor. Her win with running mate Kim Driscoll means women will serve as both governor and lieutenant governor of a state for the first time.
In Florida, Democrat Maxwell Frost became the first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress when he won a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
The 25-year-old beat Republican Calvin Wimbish in a quarter that leans solidly Democratic.
“We made history for Floridians, for Gen Z and for everyone who believes we deserve a brighter future,” the African American tweeted.
In New Hampshire, another Gen Z candidate, Karoline Leavitt, 25, is also running for Congress, though she hails from the other side of the political spectrum — and was in a more competitive race.
New Hampshire, meanwhile, became the first in US history to elect a transgender man to a state legislature, The Washington Post reported.
Democrat James Roesener was among a record number of trans candidates on the ballot this year.
Roesener will not become the first openly trans legislator, as a number of transgender women have already been elected.
Alabama elected Republican Katie Britt as its first female senator as Sarah Huckabee Sanders was to win the gubernatorial race of Arkansas to become its first female governor.
Maryland elected its first black governor, a Democrat Wes Moorewhile Markwayne Mullin will be Oklahoma’s first Native American senator in nearly 100 years.
In Massachusetts, voters elected Democrat Maura Healey as America’s first lesbian governor, television networks screened.
The 51-year-old beat Geoff Diehl, who had been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, to topple office for Republicans.
She said she was “proud” of her historic win, telling her cheering supporters it sent a message “to every little girl and every LGBTQ person out there, you can be anything you want to be”.
Healey will also become Massachusetts’ first female governor. Her win with running mate Kim Driscoll means women will serve as both governor and lieutenant governor of a state for the first time.
In Florida, Democrat Maxwell Frost became the first member of Generation Z to be elected to Congress when he won a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
The 25-year-old beat Republican Calvin Wimbish in a quarter that leans solidly Democratic.
“We made history for Floridians, for Gen Z and for everyone who believes we deserve a brighter future,” the African American tweeted.
In New Hampshire, another Gen Z candidate, Karoline Leavitt, 25, is also running for Congress, though she hails from the other side of the political spectrum — and was in a more competitive race.
New Hampshire, meanwhile, became the first in US history to elect a transgender man to a state legislature, The Washington Post reported.
Democrat James Roesener was among a record number of trans candidates on the ballot this year.
Roesener will not become the first openly trans legislator, as a number of transgender women have already been elected.
Alabama elected Republican Katie Britt as its first female senator as Sarah Huckabee Sanders was to win the gubernatorial race of Arkansas to become its first female governor.
Maryland elected its first black governor, a Democrat Wes Moorewhile Markwayne Mullin will be Oklahoma’s first Native American senator in nearly 100 years.
