Published . Results are unofficial until each state certifies them, and figures may change as counting continues.
We list only firsts reported by named news organizations, and we link the report for each person. We did not infer anyone’s identity or background. These descriptions come from the cited reporting. If you see an error, please suggest a correction.
U.S. Senate
| Person | State | First | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abdul El-Sayed (D) | Michigan | First Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate | Yahoo News, USA Today |
| Peggy Flanagan (D) | Minnesota | First Native American woman elected to the Senate | Yahoo News |
| Chris Pappas (D) | New Hampshire | First openly gay man elected to the Senate | Yahoo News, USA Today |
| Annie Andrews (D) | South Carolina | First woman elected to the Senate from her state | Newsweek |
| Juliana Stratton (D) | Illinois | With Sen. Tammy Duckworth, makes Illinois the first state with two women of color serving together in the Senate | USA Today |
Governors
| Person | State | First | Reported by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) | Georgia | First Black woman elected governor of any state; first woman governor of Georgia | Yahoo News |
| Deb Haaland (D) | New Mexico | First Native American woman governor | Yahoo News |
| Gina Hinojosa (D) | Texas | First Latina governor of Texas | The Hill |
| Xavier Becerra (D) | California | First elected Latino governor of California | Newsweek |
| Byron Donalds (R) | Florida | First Black governor of Florida | USA Today |
| David Crowley (D) | Wisconsin | First Black governor of Wisconsin | Yahoo News |
| Aaron Ford (D) | Nevada | First Black governor of Nevada | Yahoo News |
| Amy Acton (D) | Ohio | First woman and first Jewish governor of Ohio | Yahoo News |
| Marsha Blackburn (R) | Tennessee | First woman elected governor of Tennessee | Yahoo News |
| Amy Klobuchar (D) | Minnesota | First woman elected governor of Minnesota | Yahoo News |
NBC also reported a record number of women elected as governors, with some races unresolved at the time. The previous record for women serving at once was 14. For all winners, see the governor results.
U.S. House
Newsweek, which said it used an AI assistant in producing its story, reported these state and national milestones. We have not found a second report for each one.
- Melat Kiros (Colorado): first Black woman elected to Congress from her state, and first Gen Z woman elected to Congress.
- Adam Hamawy (New Jersey): first Muslim member of Congress from his state.
- Claire Valdez (New York): first Native American woman elected to Congress from her state.
- Jeremy Moss (Michigan): first openly gay member of Congress from his state.
Firsts that have not happened yet
These depend on votes that have not finished.
- First Black Speaker of the House: Hakeem Jeffries would make history if elected when the new Congress convenes.
- Mississippi: Scott Colom would be the state’s first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction, if he wins the uncalled race.
- Alaska: USA Today noted that Mary Peltola, who is Yup’ik, would join Flanagan as a Native American woman in the Senate if she wins.
Our directory also has documented collections on the backgrounds of current and past members of Congress, with sources for each.
Sources
- From the 1st Black woman governor to the 1st Muslim senator: 12 historic firsts ↗
Yahoo News · Nov. 5, 2026 - The historic firsts of Election Day 2026 ↗
USA Today · Nov. 4, 2026 - The Historic Firsts From the 2026 Midterms ↗
Newsweek · Nov. 4, 2026 - Hakeem Jeffries poised to make history as the first Black speaker of the House ↗
Associated Press · Nov. 4, 2026 - What to know about recounts in Mississippi ↗
ABC News, via ABC11 · Nov. 5, 2026 - Winners and losers of the 2026 midterms ↗
The Hill · Nov. 4, 2026 - Live updates: Democrats win control of the House and Senate ↗
NBC4 Washington · Nov. 4, 2026
Race calls come from the news organizations cited, not from Civil Services. We do not endorse candidates or parties. How we use data · Suggest a correction
Maintained by Benyamin Mannan, founder and editor. Records are checked against the sources listed on each page before publication.