US midterms deliver historic firsts for minority candidates

The US midterm vote delivered historic firsts, including the first Black female governor, first openly gay male senator, and first female Native American governor, alongside resounding Democratic wins and a sharp rejection of President Donald Trump's second term. In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in any US state, defeating billionaire Rick Jackson and ending over two decades of Republican control. Democrat Chris Pappas won in New Hampshire as the first openly gay man in the Senate, while Deb Haaland in New Mexico became the first Native American woman governor. Other milestones included Gina Hinojosa as Texas's first Latina governor, and a tight race for Abdul El-Sayed to become the first Muslim senator. If Hakeem Jeffries wins the speakership, he would be the first Black House speaker, with observers calling the night a rebuke against division.