US midterm elections 2018: Winners and losers
The US midterm elections resulted in a few surprise victories — and losses. There were many firsts, but also missed opportunities for favored candidates. DW breaks down the biggest winners and losers of the night.
First-time winners: Native American women enter Congress
Deb Haaland, a Democrat from New Mexico, became one of the first Native American women to be elected to the US Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections. The 57-year-old member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe in New Mexico was one of three female Native American candidates running for Congress — a record number.
Another first for a Native American woman
Sharice Davids, also a Democrat and also Native American, beat her Republican opponent in Kansas to be elected to the House. She identifies as lesbian and is therefore also the first LGBT member of Congress from her state. A former mixed martial arts fighter, she is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, a Native American tribe in Wisconsin.
The youngest-ever congresswoman
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year old from the Bronx, New York, became the youngest person to ever be elected to the US Congress. A Democrat, she is associated with the more progressive wing of the party and was endorsed by former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
The first openly gay governor
Jared Polis, 43, is the first openly gay person to be elected governor in the United States after winning his race in the state of Colorado. The self-made millionaire and tech entrepreneur was admitted to Princeton when he was 16-years-old. A Democrat, he represented Colorado in the House for five terms before being elected governor.
First Muslim-American congresswomen
Rashida Tlaib is one of the first two Muslim women to be elected to the US House of Representatives. The 42-year-old is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants. Born and raised in Detroit, she already broke records by becoming the first female Muslim to be elected as State Representative in Michigan in 2008.
The first Somali-American congresswoman
Ilhan Omar, 36, is also one of the first two Muslim women to be elected to the US House of Representatives. Omar fled Somalia with her family when she was 8-years-old. She lived in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the US in 1997. A Democrat, she will represent Minnesota in the House.
A lost opportunity for a Democratic darling
Beto O'Rourke, a little-known congressman and former punk-rock musician, rose to popularity in his home-state of Texas and across the US. He ran a surprisingly close race for a Senate seat against incumbent Ted Cruz, who is a former Republican presidential candidate. Despite losing this election, O'Rourke is seen by many as a future leader in the Democratic party.
A missed chance for former Marine pilot
Amy McGrath, a retired Marine fighter pilot, stood a good chance of ousting three-time Republican congressman Andy Barr in Kentucky. Despite being a top candidate for the Democrats, McGrath did not manage to win in the southern state where Trump won the presidential vote by 16 points in 2016.
When Obama's endorsement isn't enough
Andrew Gillum had been endorsed by former President Barack Obama, but failed to become Florida's first African-American governor. Gillum, who is mayor of Tallahassee, suffered a close defeat to Republican Ron DeSantis.
Vermont doesn't elect transgender governor
Despite Vermont being a traditionally progressive state, Christine Hallquist failed to oust Republican Phil Scott from the governor's spot. If she had won, Hallquist would have become the first openly transgender governor in the US.