The 2026 midterm elections came with a wave of history-making wins. See every historic first.
· Business Insider
Mikala Compton/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images
- Democrats swept the 2026 midterm elections, securing wins in long-held Republican states.
- Four states elected their first Black governors, and four elected their first women governors.
- Abdul El-Sayed became the Senate's first Muslim member, and Chris Pappas, its first openly gay man.
The midterms' blue tsunami was full of surprises — and a long list of historic firsts.
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Democratic candidates for the US House, Senate, and governorships swept wins across the US on Tuesday night, including in many long-held Republican states like Texas and South Carolina.
Four states elected their first-ever Black governors, and four also elected a woman governor for the first time. In Georgia, it was both, with Keisha Lance Bottoms making history as the first Black woman elected governor in any US state.
For the first time in US history, five Black governors will serve simultaneously, and at least 17 women will serve as US state governors simultaneously.
While races in Alaska and Mississippi remain undecided, see the full list of every historic win in the 2026 midterm elections so far.
Keisha Lance Bottoms (D), GeorgiaMegan Varner/Getty Images
Democratic Keisha Lance Bottoms is now the first Black woman elected governor in US history after defeating Republican Rick Jackson.
She is also Georgia's first Black governor and first woman governor.
Byron Donalds (R), FloridaAndrew Harnik/Getty Images
Byron Donalds is now the first Black Republican elected governor in US history and Florida's first Black governor.
Deb Haaland (D), New MexicoSam Wasson/Getty Images
Deb Haaland is now the first Native American woman elected governor in US history and New Mexico's first Native American governor after defeating Republican Gregg Hull.
David Crowley (D), WisconsinJohn Moore/Getty Images
David Crowley is now Wisconsin's first Black governor after defeating Republican Tom Tiffany.
Aaron Ford (D), NevadaEthan Miller/Getty Images
Former Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford is now Nevada's first Black governor after defeating the Republican incumbent Joe Lombardo.
Gina Hinojosa (D), TexasGina Hinojosa at her election-night watch party.Joel Angel Juarez/Getty Images
Gina Hinojosa is now Texas' first Latina governor, defeating incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, and the first Democratic governor elected in the state since Ann Richards in 1990.
Xavier Becerra (D), CaliforniaCaroline Brehman/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Xavier Becerra is now California's first elected Latino governor, succeeding Gavin Newsom.
Amy Acton (D), OhioJeff Swensen/Getty Images
Democratic candidate Amy Acton is now Ohio's first woman elected governor after defeating Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.
Marsha Blackburn (R), TennesseeMichael Swensen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Marsha Blackburn is now Tennessee's first elected woman governor.
She was the first woman elected to represent the state in the Senate in 2018.
Amy Klobuchar (D), MinnesotaDymanh Chhoun/Sahan Journal/Catchlight via Getty Images
Amy Klobuchar was elected as Minnesota's first woman governor.
In 2006, she became the first woman from the state to be elected to the US Senate.
Kathy Hochul (D) and Adrienne Adams (D), New YorkAngelina Katsanis/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Kathy Hochul and Adrienne Adams are now New York's first all-woman governor-lieutenant governor ticket, and Adams is New York's first Black woman lieutenant governor.
Hochul became the state's first woman governor after taking office in 2021.
Abdul El-Sayed (D), MichiganAbdul El-Sayed.Jeff Kowalsky / AFP via Getty Images
Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers to become the first Muslim senator in US history.
Peggy Flanagan (D), MinnesotaPeggy Flanagan.Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota will become the first Native American woman US senator and Minnesota's first Native American senator.
Chris Pappas (D), New HampshireChris Pappas.Joseph Prezioso/Getty Images
Chris Pappas is the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate.
In his acceptance speech, he thanked his supporters and his husband, Vann Bentley, whom he married in 2023.
Annie Andrews (D), South CarolinaAnnie Andrews on Tuesday.Win McNamee/Getty Images
Annie Andrews became the first woman elected to the US Senate representing South Carolina.
She defeated Republican Sen. Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was appointed to fill his seat after he died in July.
Juliana Stratton (D), IllinoisJuliana Stratton.Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Juliana Stratton is Illinois' second Black woman elected to the US Senate. Alongside Tammy Duckworth, she makes Illinois the first state to be represented by two women of color in the Senate.
Her victory means three Black women will serve in the Senate at the same time — another historic first.
Melat Kiros (D), ColoradoMelat Kiros.AAron Ontiveroz/Getty Images
Melat Kiros is the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress, representing Colorado's 1st congressional District. She is 29 years old.
Adam Hamawy (D), New JerseyAdam Hamawy.DREW ANGERER/AFP via Getty Images
Representing New Jersey's 12th District, Adam Hamawy is the Garden State's first Muslim member of Congress.
Claire Valdez (D), New YorkClaire Valdez.Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Claire Valdez made history as New York's first Native American woman elected to Congress, representing New York's 7th District.
Jeremy Moss (D), MichiganJeremy Moss.JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP via Getty Images
Jeremy Moss, elected to represent Michigan's 11th District, made history as Michigan's first openly gay member of Congress.
Denise Powell (D), NebraskaDenise Powell.Nikos Frazier/Omaha World-Herald via Getty Images
It was also a historic night for Denise Powell, who became Nebraska's first Hispanic member of Congress. She will represent the state's 2nd District.
Five Black governors will serve simultaneously for the first time in US history.Paras Griffin/Getty Images
They are Democrats Keisha Lance Bottoms of Georgia, David Crowley of Wisconsin, Aaron Ford of Nevada, and Wes Moore of Maryland, plus Republican Byron Donalds of Florida.
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