United States electoral commission works independently in all states of the country, with each state having its own systems and laws for counting votes, vote-counting is still ongoing with people on the edge of their seats hoping to have a clear winner soon.
With the Democrat presidential candidate, Joe Biden, confident that he is on course to win the election Donald Trump has threatened to fight the outcome of the election to the Supreme Court. And though at this point we still do not know who the clear winner is, what we do know is that a record number of Black candidates have already clinched victories in some of the races that have been mentioned.
From Missouri’s first Black congresswoman to the first openly gay Black men to be elected to Congress, here are some of the notable Black winners who have made history:
Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones
The two Democrats are now the first openly gay Black men to be elected to Congress. Torres becomes the first openly gay Afro-Latino elected to Congress after being elected to represent New York’s 15th Congressional District. Torres, 32, defeated Republican Patrick Delices in the district, and will now replace Representative José Serrano. Jones, 33, was elected as the representative to New York’s 17th congressional district, including areas of Rockland and Westchester Counties.
Marilyn Strickland
The former Mayor of Tacoma, Wash., won the open 10th U.S. House District seat in Washington, defeating state Rep. Beth Doglio. Strickland will become the first Black woman to represent Washington State at the federal level and the first Korean-American woman ever elected to Congress. She will serve Mason, Pierce, and Thurston counties for two years.
Cori Bush
Nurse and Black Lives Matter activist. Cori Bush, was on Tuesday elected to Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, making her the first Black Congresswoman in the history of Missouri. Democrat Bush defeated Republican candidate Anthony Rogers by a 79% to 19% margin in the race, according to data provided by CNN. Missouri’s 1st congressional district covers St. Louis and parts of St. Louis County.
Mauree Turner
Democrat Mauree Turner, 27, on Tuesday won her race for Oklahoma state House for District 88, becoming the first nonbinary state legislator in U.S. history and first Muslim lawmaker in Oklahoma. She defeated Republican Kelly Barlean with 71% of the votes.
Madinah Wilson-Anton
In Delaware, Democrat Madinah Wilson-Anton became the first practicing Muslim elected to the general assembly, winning 71 percent of the vote. She is also the first Muslim woman elected to office in Delaware’s history.
Madison Alder Samba Baldeh
In Wisconsin, Madison Alder Samba Baldeh will be the first Muslim elected to the Wisconsin State Legislature and the first Black man from Dane County. The IT project engineer at American Family Insurance is currently in his third term on the Madison Common Council representing Madison’s 17th District.
Christopher Benjamin
Christopher Benjamin has now become the first Muslim American to be elected to any state office in the Sunshine State, representing the 107th District in the House of Representatives.
Michele Rayner-Goolsby and Shevrin Jones
Florida has made history by electing two Black queer politicians, Michele Rayner-Goolsby and Shevrin Jones to serve in the state legislature. Rayner-Goolsby becomes the first out LGBTQ Black woman elected to Florida’s House of Representatives. Rayner-Goolsby, who describes herself as an “unapologetic Black woman,” won in Florida’s District 70. She did not face an opponent in the general election after winning the Democratic primary.
Jones is also now the first out LGBT+ person ever elected to the state senate, winning the Florida Senate District 35. The district covers parts of Broward and Miami-Dade counties including Miramar, West Park and Miami Gardens.
