According to Business Insider , the 2018 midterm elections were nothing short of groundbreaking. Many candidates made history by being elected, and these results suggest that the nation is experiencing a wave of diversity. Along with enough Democratic candidates being elected to flip the House of Representatives from primarily Republican, voter turnout was reportedly record-breaking for many different areas.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, only 29-years-old, is the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress in the entire history of the United States. She is a Democrat who will represent New York’s 14th Congressional District. In addition to Ocasio-Cortez, two Muslim women have been elected to Congress, making them the first Muslim women in U.S. history to do so. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar are both Democrats who will be representing Michigan’s 13th Congressional District and Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, respectively. Tlaib is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, while Omar is Somalian and came to the U.S. as a refugee. The two have become close over their similar political platforms and shared religion, and even campaigned together earlier in the year.
Jared Polis is another elected official breaking new ground as the first openly gay man to be elected governor. Polis is a Democrat who will be representing the state of Colorado. Also a member of the LGBTQ community is Sharice Davids, who happens to be the first Native American woman to be elected to Congress. Davids identifies as a lesbian and will be representing Kansas, also making her the first LGBTQ person in her state to do so. Both Polis and Davids are hoping to make progressive change in their new positions. Polis, in particular, wants his position on gay rights to affect the current administration.
“I think it really gives Colorado 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,” Polis was quoted as saying earlier this year.
Vice President Mike Pence has notoriously been in opposition to the beliefs and values Polis stands for. The newly elected governor of Colorado is anticipating using his presence in government to make a difference. Other candidates are also eager to use their diversity to represent the many different kinds of people throughout the nation. According to statistics, a lot of people are on board for this change. Business Insider is reporting that this election had more women and members of the LGBTQ community running than ever before, perhaps setting a new precedent for the country.
