Surge in support for Democratic candidates brings historic election firsts

by · TheJournal.ie

IT HAS BEEN a historic night for the Democratic Party in America as its candidates swept to victory in a number of key states in the midterm elections.

Dissatisfaction with the handling of the economy and US President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy has been deemed the leading reason behind a surge of support for Democratic candidates, including by traditional Republican voters.

This support has also seen a number of historic firsts in the profile of those elected to the upper and lower house of Congress and governorships. 

Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms waves to supporters at an election night event in Atlanta. AP Photo / Brynn AndersonAP Photo / Brynn Anderson / Brynn Anderson

In Georgia, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was elected governor, making her the first Black woman elected as a governor in US history.

Bottoms was the mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022 and served in all three branches of local government. She was appointed to serve as director of the Office of Public Liaison by former US president Joe Biden in 2022.

Bottoms beat out billionaire healthcare businessman Rick Jackson in the race for governor.

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries delivers remarks at a watch party in Washington DC. Francis Chung / POLITICO via AP ImagesFrancis Chung / POLITICO via AP Images / POLITICO via AP Images

New York’s Hakeem Jeffries is set to become the first Black Speaker of the House of Representatives.

A member of the House of Representatives since 2013, the politician and attorney is to take up the role when the new Congress convenes in January. He faces challenges in the role as Trump holds the power to veto Democratic legislation – Jeffries must both balance the House’s expectations and negotiate critical bills.

Abdul El-Sayed speaks at an election night event in Detroit, as his wife Sarah Jukaku watches. AP Photo / Julia Demaree NikhinsonAP Photo / Julia Demaree Nikhinson / Julia Demaree Nikhinson

Abdul El-Sayed’s election in Michigan sees him become the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber of Congress.

El-Sayed’s fight against Republican candidate Mike Rogers made for one of the most-watched fights for Senate across the US. He was the target of Islamophobic tirades by numerous critics, including Trump, who labelled him a “lunatic jihadist”.

El-Sayed is an outspoken critic of the US and Israel’s war in Iran.

Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Chris Pappas speaks at an election night event in Manchester, New Hampshire. AP Photo / Reba SaldanhaAP Photo / Reba Saldanha / Reba Saldanha

Democrat Chris Pappas was elected as senator for New Hampshire. He will be the first openly gay man to serve in the Senate.

The 46-year-old has served four terms as a congressman in the House of Representatives, and has at times broken with his party on major legislation. 

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Gina Hinojosa, centre, is surrounded by supporters outside a polling place in Austin, Texas. AP Photo / Ashley LandisAP Photo / Ashley Landis / Ashley Landis

In Texas, Gina Hinojosa was elected to the governor’s mansion, making her the first Latina to hold the position in the state. 

She is the first Democrat to win the office since 1990. Hinojosa, a lawyer, has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2017. Her win in Texas saw her oust incumbent Greg Abbott, who has been governor of Texas since 2015.

Trump took to Truth Social to blame Abbott for the loss, saying if he “hadn’t become a RINO [Republican in Name Only]” in the past six months, “he wouldn’t have lost”.

Byron Donalds greets supporters at an election night event in Hollywood, Florida. AP Photo / Rebecca Blackwell)AP Photo / Rebecca Blackwell) / Rebecca Blackwell)

It wasn’t only the Democrats that yielded historic candidates. In Florida, voters brought in the state’s first Black governor in Republican Byron Donalds. 

Donalds has been a state representative since 2021 and beat out Democratic candidate David Jolly. Once considered a swing state, Florida has been a conservative stronghold since Trump’s 2016 election. 

He will take over from current governor Ron DeSantis.