US Midterm Elections See Historic Firsts; Black, Native American & LGBTQ Candidates Win Key Races

The 2026 US midterm elections delivered several historic breakthroughs, with candidates from underrepresented communities winning key gubernatorial and Senate races across the country. Former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in US history, while Democrat Deb Haaland made history as the first Native American woman to lead a US state.

The November 3 elections also saw Republican Byron Donalds become Florida's first Black governor, while Democrat Chris Pappas won New Hampshire's Senate race, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate. The victories came amid significant Democratic gains and a setback for President Donald Trump's Republican Party.

Bill Shiebler, chief strategy officer at State Voices, a non-profit network working on civic engagement and equity, described the election night as “a huge rebuke against hate and division.” “We're witnessing an electorate that increasingly sees itself in its leaders and the leaders who come out of communities they now represent,” Shiebler told AFP.

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, defeated Republican businessman Rick Jackson to win Georgia's gubernatorial election. Her victory returned the governor's office to Democrats for the first time since 1998.

She also became the first Black woman elected governor of any US state. According to the Associated Press, all 83 of Georgia's previous governors had been white men. Addressing supporters after her victory, Bottoms said the state belonged to people from all communities and pledged to represent them.

“Tonight should remind us all that no matter what community we come from, Georgia is not defined by one moment in time or by one person,” Bottoms told supporters after her victory. “It's been defined by all of us, and I will be a governor for everyone in this state.” Her victory coincided with Democrat Jon Ossoff's re-election to the Senate.

He will serve alongside Raphael Warnock, Georgia's first Black senator. Ossoff is also the state's first Jewish senator, according to AP. Republican Byron Donalds won Florida's gubernatorial race, becoming the state's first Black governor.

His victory marks a breakthrough for Black representation within the Republican Party. Donalds' election also comes as Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who was previously the country's only serving Black governor, secured another term.

Democrat Deb Haaland defeated Republican Gregg Hull in New Mexico, becoming the first Native American woman elected governor of a US state. A citizen of the Laguna Pueblo, Haaland highlighted the significance of her victory during her address.

“Tonight, in our nation's 250th year, I stand before you as the first Native American woman elected governor in U.S. history,” she said. Haaland was among the first two Native American women elected to Congress in 2018.

She subsequently served as Interior Secretary under former President Joe Biden, becoming the first Native American to lead a Cabinet department. “I want every child watching to know that your dreams matter and that New Mexico is a place where you can build the life you want,” she said.

Democrat Gina Hinojosa won the Texas gubernatorial election, becoming the first Latina elected governor of the state. She defeated Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, ending more than three decades of Republican control of the governorship.

Minnesota also featured a closely watched contest involving Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa Demuth, with the supplied election account identifying Klobuchar as the winner.