At last, this year’s U.S. election cycle is over. While all projections for the presidential race currently point toward Donald Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris, Americans of all creeds remain utterly divided on a vision for the path ahead.
But, if you’re looking for good news, there’s still plenty of that to be found from the 2024 Election Day results. Besides stunning triumphs for reproductive rights on the ballot, the following six politicians also made history by becoming notable firsts in their respective offices.
From the first openly trans person being elected to Congress to the first time that two Black women will be serving in the Senate at the same time, we break down every Election Day win that’s worth celebrating.
Delaware Elects the First Openly Trans Person to Congress
Sarah McBride has made history as the first openly trans person to be elected to Congress. Capturing nearly 58 percent of the vote, she defeated Republican John Whalen III for Delaware’s only seat in the House of Representatives.
McBride, who served as the state senator for Delaware’s First State Senate District, ran on a progressive platform that zeroed in on health care access, reproductive justice, and workers’ rights.
“Thank you, Delaware! Because of your votes and your values, I am proud to be your next member of Congress,” McBride wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday night. “Delaware has sent the message loud and clear that we must be a country that protects reproductive freedom, that guarantees paid leave and affordable child care for all our families, that ensures that housing and health care are available to everyone and that this is a democracy that is big enough for all of us.”
Two Black Women Will Simultaneously Serve on the U.S. Senate for the First Time Ever
After winning their respective elections, Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks and Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester will be representing their states in the U.S. Senate—marking the first time that two Black women will have ever simultaneously served in the congressional chamber.
Prior to their victories, only 12 Black people had ever been elected to the Senate, and only three had been Black women.
Per the Associated Press, Alsobrooks defeated Republican Larry Hogan with 52 percent of the vote, while Blunt Rochester won over Republican Eric Hansen with 56 percent of the vote. (Blunt Rochester previously made electoral history when, eight years ago, she became the first Black person and woman to represent Delaware in the House of Representatives.)
The duo previously expressed their admiration for one another, dubbing themselves as “sister senators” after winning their primaries earlier this year.
“Hopefully, I am going to have a built-in ally [in the Senate], and we’re going to be able to do some really big and bold work,” Blunt Rochester previously told Elle. “Then we can partner with [other Black women] like Representatives Lauren Underwood and Robin Kelly in the House. That representation in all of these places is important, because one branch can’t do it alone. The history-making part is good, but the impact is what we’re all going for, to make a difference in people’s lives. The ability to go to the Senate and be one of 100—but also as two of only five [Black women senators] in the history of this country—would be incredible.”
Alsobrooks added, “Neither of us would be in this moment without Shirley Chisholm or Barbara Jordan or Cheri Beasley, who ran for Senate in North Carolina and got very close. So many people created the opportunities for us to be in the space that we are in, named and unnamed. Coretta Scott King said that freedom is never really won; we have to fight it and win it in every generation. There are a lot of people who made sacrifices to ensure that this kind of progress could continue to happen. It’s going to be our responsibility to ensure that we make the kind of impact that allows people from similar backgrounds to have the same opportunity.”
New Jersey Votes for the First Korean-American Senator
Democrat Andy Kim triumphed in his race for New Jersey’s U.S. Senate seat. With 53 percent of the vote, Kim is set to become the first-ever Korean-American to take office as a senator.
“As a son of immigrants, a public school kid, I never could’ve imagined I’d get to serve as a US Senator,” Kim wrote on X. “I’m deeply humbled and grateful to NJ and for everyone who got us here. I promise I’ll serve with honor and integrity as a public servant for all.”
Formerly having served as a House representative for New Jersey’s third congressional district, Kim will fill in the Senate seat left by Democrat Bob Menendez, who resigned this past August after being convicted of federal bribery charges.
Tulsa, Oklahoma Elects Their First Black Mayor
Democrat Monroe Nichols will be Tulsa, Oklahoma’s first-ever Black mayor, clinching victory over opponent Karen Keith with a 15,000 vote difference, according to KJRH-TV.
Nichols delivered his acceptance speech in front of photos of Black Wall Street, one of the most prosperous Black communities in Oklahoma that was ultimately devastated by the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.
“We’re not going to be a city that marks time,” Nichols said in his speech, per KJRH-TV. “We may not always agree on a pathway to greatness, but we will always be united in our commitment to get there, and I will be an honest leader.”
Kentucky's Supreme Court Will Have a Black Woman on the Bench for the First Time
Pamela Goodwine became the first Black woman to be elected to Kentucky’s Supreme Court when she won her race on Tuesday. Goodwine is no stranger to making history; she previously became the first Black woman to serve as a district and, later, circuit judge in Lexington, and she also was the first Black woman on the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
“Being elected to the Kentucky Supreme Court tonight gives me the honor of being the first woman and only the fifth person in history to serve at every level [of the judiciary],” Goodwine said in her acceptance speech on Tuesday night, per the Kentucky Lantern. “Our campaign stood firmly on experience, honesty and a commitment to impartiality and the rule of law to protect and serve every citizen.”