The 2026 US midterm elections came to the fore with winners who broke new ground in terms of the representation of different social segments, as well as results that changed the political balances in Congress and state governments.
In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first black female governor elected in the country's history, while in Texas, Gina Hinojosa was elected as the state's first Latin American female governor. In Michigan, Abdul el-Sayed was recorded as the first Muslim senator in US history, and in New Mexico, Deb Haaland was recorded as the first Native American woman elected governor in the country's history.
These victories attracted attention in that social segments that had been underrepresented in US politics for many years became more visible at the state and federal levels.
KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS, THE FIRST BLACK WOMEN GOVERNOR IN US HISTORY
Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms defeated Republican opponent Rick Jackson in Georgia and became the first black woman elected governor of the state in US history.
Bottoms, who also made history as Georgia's first female governor, won the governor's office, which Republicans had held since 2003, to Democrats.
Born on January 18, 1970, in Atlanta, Georgia, Bottoms completed his undergraduate education at Florida A&M University and studied law at Georgia State University.
Bottoms, who started her career as a lawyer, later served as a judge in Atlanta. Bottoms, who entered politics in 2009 by being elected as a member of the Atlanta City Council, took office as the city's 60th mayor in January 2018, after winning the mayoral elections in 2017.
During her term as mayor, which she will continue until 2022, Bottoms worked on affordable housing projects, economic development and criminal justice reform.
After becoming mayor, Bottoms served in the administration of former US President Joe Biden and carried out the communication between the business world, non-governmental organizations and different social segments and the administration.
In her 2026 election campaign, Bottoms focused on topics such as expanding access to healthcare, increasing the minimum wage, increasing affordable housing opportunities and reducing the cost of living.
GINA HINOJOSA, HISTORICAL VICTORY IN REPUBLICAN CASTLE TEXAS
In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated three-term Republican Governor Greg Abbott and was elected the state's first Latin American female governor. With Hinojosa's victory, the governorship, which has been under the control of Republicans since 1995, passed to Democrats after 31 years.
Born in 1973 in the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas, Hinojosa was educated in public schools in Brownsville. Hinojosa graduated from the University of Texas and later studied law at George Washington University in Washington.
Hinojosa, who started his career as a lawyer working in the field of human rights and workers' rights, represented unions and employees.
Hinojosa, who stepped into politics not directly from the state government but from the field of education, became a candidate for the Austin Independent School District Board of Directors after the school where his son was studying was in danger of being closed due to budget cuts.
Hinojosa, who was appointed chairman of the board after winning the election, focused on issues such as increasing teacher salaries and keeping schools open during his time in office.
Hinojosa, who was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2016, has worked particularly on the financing of public education, access to health care, workers' rights and corporate accountability.
Hinojosa, who highlighted the issues of cost of living, strengthening public education and access to health services in the 2026 election campaign, also drew attention to the effects of rapidly growing data centers in the state on energy and water resources.
Criticizing Abbott's approach, especially regarding education policies and the proliferation of data centers, Hinojosa promised voters an administration that prioritizes economic problems.
DEB HAALAND, THE FIRST NATIVE FEMALE GOVERNOR OF THE USA
In New Mexico, Democrat Deb Haaland won the governor's race, becoming the first Native American woman elected governor of a state in US history.
Born on December 2, 1960, in Winslow, Arizona, Haaland is a registered member of the Laguna Pueblo Indian community. Growing up in a military family, Haaland's father was a Marine who served in the Vietnam War and her mother was a soldier in the US Navy.
Haaland, who lived in different states during her childhood due to her family's duties, completed her high school education in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Haaland, who started her university education at the age of 28, received a bachelor's degree in English at the University of New Mexico and graduated from the law school of the same university in 2006.
Haaland, who founded a small salsa sauce business before turning to politics, became the first woman to serve on the board of the Laguna Development Corporation, a Laguna-owned business created to support the growth of the Laguna community and economy.
He later served as an administrator in the San Felipe Pueblo Indian community. Haaland, who was elected as the chairman of the New Mexico Democratic Party in 2015, also made history as the first Native American woman to head a state party in the USA.
Haaland, who was elected to the House of Representatives from New Mexico in 2018, became one of the first two Native American women to enter the US Congress by taking office in 2019, where she worked on environmental justice, climate change, the rights of indigenous communities, and issues related to missing or murdered indigenous women.
Haaland, who served as Minister of Internal Affairs during the Biden administration, thus became the first Native American to become a cabinet member in US history. Haaland was responsible for federal public lands, natural resources and relations with indigenous communities in her ministry until 2025.
Haaland, who advocated lowering the cost of living, increasing access to healthcare and reforming the child protection system in her New Mexico governorship campaign, also brought up regulations regarding the effects of large-scale data center projects on the state.
ABER KAWAS, THE FIRST HEADSCARED WOMAN OF PALESTINE ORIGIN ELECTED TO THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE
In New York's 12th district, Democratic candidate Aber Kawas was elected to the state senate. Kawas, who received approximately 75 percent of the votes, became the first woman of Palestinian origin and a headscarf elected to the New York State Senate.
Kawas' victory also stood out as a historic development in terms of the political representation of Palestinian Americans in the United States.
Born in 1992 to Palestinian parents in New York's Brooklyn borough, Kawas grew up in a working-class family. Born in a family that emigrated from Palestine to the USA and started living in Brooklyn, Kawas' political views were influenced by the immigration problems his family experienced during his childhood and youth.
One of the important turning points in Kawas's life was when his father was detained by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Jordan while he was still a high school student.
Kawas studied international relations at the City College of New York. He later completed a master's degree in Theology at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa. Kawas, who returned to New York in 2024, continued his work especially for the rights of immigrants, workers and Palestinians.
Kawas, who worked in the field of community organizing for a long time before entering electoral politics, was active in New York on workers' rights, protection of immigrants, supervision of police practices and the rights of Palestinians.
Kawas, who also stands out with his support for Palestine, played a role in the development and implementation of the "Not On Our Dime" campaign, which aims to prevent New York-based organizations from transferring resources to Israel's human rights violations.
With her victory in the midterm elections, she opened the door to a new era in terms of the representation of Palestinian and Muslim women in New York state politics.
