Sarah Toce
While much appears lost for democrats and civil rights leaders given the recent presidential election results, there were some decent gains.
Notably, the win of Delaware Representative Sarah McBride, who will be the first transgender member of Congress, and the re-election of openly-lesbian Washington State Representative Laurie Jenkins.
“Being elected and re-elected to represent the people of the 27th legislative district remains the honor of a lifetime. I’m as excited to serve today as I was the day I was first elected,” Jenkins shared on Facebook. Jenkins added that the people “in this district continue to inspire, challenge and educate me, sometimes by kicking me in the butt just when I need it.”
Jenkins has high hopes for her upcoming term.
“This term will be marked by advancing on Washington’s values while we protect Washingtonians from the damage the other Washington may try to rain down. I am ready to fully engage on both,” she said.
Further gains: Texas Representative Julie Johnson was elected to be the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Congress from the South, Washington State Representative Emily Randall is poised to become the first Latina lesbian in Congress, and Virginia Representative Suhas Subramanyam will be the first Indian American elected to Congress from Virginia.
Then there’s Maryland Senator-Elect Angela Alsobrooks who soon becomes the first Black person elected to the Senate from Maryland. Across the water, Delaware Senator-Elect Lisa Blunt Rochester will become the first woman and first Black person elected from Delaware.
New Jersey Senator-Elect Andy Kim also took the baton as the first Korean-American elected to the Senate and first Asian-American senator from New Jersey.
Arizona and North Carolina also made news on election night 2024. Arizona Representative Yassamin Ansari won her race to become the first Iranian-American Democrat elected to Congress and North Carolina Governor-Elect Josh Stein will be the first Jewish person elected governor of North Carolina.
This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.
