This year’s midterm elections have once again brought us groundbreaking wins! Women, POC, and LGBTQ+ candidates across the country have won their races and claimed their spot in history books. Here are some of the people changing the state of politics as we know it, and what they had to say about last night’s wins:
Healey (D) has been elected the first openly gay and woman Governor of Massachusetts. She is also the first out lesbian to be elected to a governor’s office in the country. Her win flipped the state’s governor seat from red to blue. She and her running mate, Lieutenant Governor Elect Kim Driscoll, are among the first all-woman teams elected to the executive level of state office. In a speech following her win, Healey stated, “Tonight, I want to say something to every little girl and every young LGBTQ person. I hope tonight shows you that you can be whatever you want to be. And nothing but your own imagination should ever get in the way. I want you to know that tonight, we made history!”
Balint (D) is officially Vermont’s first openly gay member of Congress, and also the first woman to ever represent the state in either chamber. This ex-middle school teacher currently serves at the state Senate president and is now making her way to Washington D.C. In a speech following her win, she stated she got into politics because she “refused to accept that the richest nation in the world could not take care of working families, could not house them, could not feed them, could not give them healthcare.”
Kathy Hochul
Hochul (D) became the first woman elected Governor of New York after prevailing in last night’s race against Republican opponent Lee Zeldin. She was first appointed governor in 2021 following the resignation of Andrew Cuomo. In her victory speech, Hochul stated, “I will lead with strength and compassion, not anger and fear.” She added, “the lesson of tonight’s victory is that given the choice, New Yorkers refused to go backward in our long march toward progress.”
Wes Moore
Maryland again has a Democrat for governor following Moore’s win last night. He is the first Black Governor of Maryland, and one of only three Black governors to ever serve in the U.S. In his victory speech, Moore highlighted his dedication to public safety, the right to choose, and education. He stated, “‘Leave nobody behind’ is not just a slogan. It is the value that will guide me as your next Governor.”
Summer Lee
Lee (D) has been elected the first Black congresswoman in Pennsylvania. She is a second-term state House member, lawyer, and former labor organizer. She was endorsed by prominent progressive politicians such as Bernie Sanders. Speaking at her election night party last night, she told supporters “this was a movement that was about what it looks like when we prioritize the most marginalized, when we prioritize and really fight for what a real working-class movement can look like in this country.”
Robert Garcia
Garcia (D), the mayor of Long Beach, Cal., just because the first LGBTQ+ immigrant to serve in Congress. Garcia previously made history as the youngest, first openly gay, and first Latino mayor of Long Beach. He dedicated his win to his mother, who died in 2020 of COVID. He stated in his victory speech, “That hardworking woman who worked in clinics, who cleaned houses, who was a true immigrant in every sense of the word is why I’m here today.”
James Roesener
Roesener (D) is now the first openly trans man elected to U.S. state legislature. Roesener will serve as a member of the House for New Hampshire. He was supported by The Victory Fund, an organization that endorses LGBTQ+ candidates running for office. In his bio, he states “I believe that it is imperative that all individuals have the ability to thrive in New Hampshire. We need a leadership that is invested in defending the freedom of all people by taking away barriers to shelter, education, healthcare, voting, and other basic necessities for a quality life.”
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