One should rightly use the term “historic” cautiously, but given the outcome of the midterms in the USA, for once it fits quite well. The Democrats achieved historic results in several states, and the defeat of President Donald Trump's Republicans is taking on unprecedented proportions in some places.
Kansas: The longest series is over
The fact that there is a real election campaign going on in Kansas came as a surprise to many. The agricultural state in the Midwest is a Republican stronghold; there hasn't been a Democratic senator here in 94 years. This was the longest streak of its kind in the entire US - and it's now over.
Democrat Adam Hamilton created the “Miracle of Kansas.” The founder and pastor of the Methodist Church of the Resurrection prevailed against the candidate Roger Marshall, who was supported by US President Donald Trump. "I'm running because I believe that our constitution is currently under attack," said Hamilton, who is a political newcomer, explaining his ambitions.
Texas: The youngest and the first Latina
Texas has also been considered a safe bet for Republicans for decades. No Democrat has won a Senate seat here since 1988. Now the Democrat James Talarico prevailed here. At 37, the former teacher also becomes the youngest senator in the USA. He won against President Trump-backed Republican candidate Ken Paxton.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk supported Paxton's election campaign with more than $150 million. Talarico, on the other hand, received support from the family of former US Presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush - one of the Republican dynasties in Texas.
There was also a historic result in the gubernatorial election in Texas: 52-year-old Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican incumbent Greg Abbott - making her the first Latina to lead the southern state. People with roots in Latin America make up almost 41 percent of the population in Texas. Hinojosa is also the first Democrat to win a gubernatorial election there since Ann Richards in 1990.
Michigan: The First Muslim
Nationwide, the Senate race in the northern state was considered one of the most exciting. Not only because Michigan is a classic swing state, but also because of the candidates and an internal dispute among the Democrats, during which a prominent Democrat suddenly supported the Republican candidate.
The Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed still prevailed in the Senate elections against the Republican Mike Rogers. El-Sayed is the son of Egyptian immigrants and becomes the first Muslim senator of the United States. The doctor stands for a left-wing course and received support during the election campaign from prominent representatives of the left wing of the Democrats, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Georgia: The first black woman
In the southeastern state of Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms becomes the first black woman governor in the history of the United States. The Democrat will also be the first woman ever to lead the state. The 56-year-old former mayor of Atlanta defeated Republican businessman Rick Jackson in the Georgia election, even though the Republicans had spent significantly more money on the election campaign. Billionaire Jackson invested more than $200 million of his personal assets in the election campaign.
Bottoms is the first Democrat to win a gubernatorial election in Georgia since 1998.
In addition to a black woman as governor, the state's citizens also re-elected the first Jewish senator, Democrat Jon Ossoff. He serves alongside Raphael Warnock, the state's first black senator.
New Mexico and Minnesota: The First Indigenous Peoples
Deb Haaland was Interior Minister under US President Joe Biden - making her the first indigenous woman to hold a ministerial post in the USA. Now she has achieved something historic again: she will become the first indigenous female governor in US history. Haaland defeated Republican Gregg Hull in the state of New Mexico.
In Minnesota, Peggy Flanagan was the first indigenous woman to be elected to the US Senate.
New Hampshire
In the east coast state of New Hampshire, Democrat Chris Pappas defended his party's Senate mandate against Republican John Sununu. The 46-year-old Pappas is the first openly gay politician to enter the Senate in Washington.
Washington: More women than ever before
A new record is also emerging in the House of Representatives. According to the New York Times, the Democrats are on track to send more than 100 women to their caucus for the first time. That would be an increase of more than 60 percent within a decade. However, the final number has not yet been determined as the election results are still pending.
With the democratic change of power in the chamber, another historic moment could also be imminent: If the previous minority leader Hakeem Jeffries is elected chairman of the House of Representatives in January, he would be the first black person to hold this powerful office.
And another historic mark: According to projections, Democrats will once again represent the majority of governors in the USA for the first time in around 15 years. At least 28 of the country's 50 governorships will be held by Democrats and at least 20 by Republicans. The remaining races have not yet been decided. Before the midterms, 26 states had a Republican governor and 24 states had Democrats.
