Thread by @voxdotcom

1/ #Midterms2018 saw a number of historic firsts:
The first two Native American women elected to Congress
The first openly gay man elected governor in the US
The first two Muslim women elected to Congress

Here are some of the candidates who broke new ground last night:

2/ At 29, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. The democratic socialist’s victory proved Dems can run on leftist ideas and win — even against party favorites. bit.ly/2zCz94Q

3/ Democrats Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland will be the first Native American women to serve in Congress.

Davids's campaign appealed to her district's moderate suburban voters. Haaland told Vox that one of her biggest priorities will be working to fight climate change.

4/ Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are the first Muslim women elected to Congress.

Tlaib (D) is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants and ran a progressive campaign.

Omar (D), 36, fled war-torn Somalia in the ’90s and lived in a refugee camp before moving to the US.

5/ Jared Polis (D) is the first openly gay man elected governor in the US. In a speech earlier this year, he said this race was "an opportunity to stick a thumb in the eye of Mike Pence, whose view of America is not as inclusive as where America is today.” bit.ly/2zCgSoa

6/ Ayanna Pressley will be the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in Congress.

She’s a 44-year-old Boston city councilor, and highlighted her lived experience as a black woman on the campaign trail. bit.ly/2ARXwNT

7/ Jahana Hayes will become the first black woman to represent Connecticut in the House of Representatives.

She’s a former National Teacher of the Year and has said she was encouraged to run by many students, including her own.

8/8 Rep. Kristi Noem (R) will be the first woman governor of South Dakota.

She was one of the few high-profile GOP women seeking a promotion in a campaign year defined more by the enthusiasm of Democratic women and a rise in Democratic female candidates. bit.ly/2zB3roD