From election of the first transgender senator, to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s reelection win New York, there were several noteworthy wins.
As Americans continue to wait on 2020 election results, some notable races have already been decided. From the election of the first transgender state senator, to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s reelection in New York, here are some of the noteworthy race results.
Sarah McBride in Delaware Becomes First Openly Transgender State Senator
McBride, 30, defeated Republican Steve Washington by a landslide for the state's first senate district seat after being endorsed by Democratic Incumbent Harris McDowell.
"I hope tonight shows an LGBTQ kid that our democracy is big enough for them, too," McBride tweeted Tuesday night after her win. "As Delaware continues to face the Covid crisis, it's time to get to work to invest in the policies that will make a difference for working families.”
McBride made headlines in 2012 when she stepped down as American University’s student body president and revealed she was transgender in the school’s newspaper.
Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, a QAnon Supporter, Wins Georgia House Seat
Green, 46, has previously expressed her support for QAnon, a far-right wing conspiracy movement that claims a “deep-state” ring of pedophiles is trying to bring down President Donald Trump. Green previously called “Q,” the alleged leader of the group, a “patriot.”
In a primary debate Green was asked if she was a QAnon follower, to which she responded that she is "committed to my allegiance to the United States of America. I, like many Americans, am disgusted with the Deep State who have launched an effort to get rid of President Trump.”
Trump previously congratulated Green on that primary win. Her Democratic opponent, Kevin Van Ausda, dropped out of the race in September.
"Congratulations to future Republican Star Marjorie Taylor Greene on a big Congressional primary win in Georgia against a very tough and smart opponent," Trump wrote in a tweet. "Marjorie is strong on everything and never gives up - a real WINNER!”
Republican Madison Cawthorn Set to Become Youngest Member of Congress in Modern History
CNN projected Cawthorn, 25, will beat Democrat Moe Davis for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District. His win will make history, as he his the youngest elected member of congress in modern history. New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez previously held that title, as she was 29 years old when she won her seat in 2018.
Cawthorn, who has Trump’s support, is anti-abortion and pro-gun. He was criticized when pictures of him visiting Adolf Hitler's vacation house in Germany in 2017 surfaced. He claimed the location had been on his “bucket list.”
His Instagram caption read: "Strange to hear so many laughs and share such a good time with my brother where only 79 years ago a supreme evil shared laughs and good times with his compatriots.”
Cawthorn later denounced white nationalism and Nazism in an interview with WLOS News 13.
"I completely and wholeheartedly denounce any kind of white nationalism, any kind of Nazism. We fought a war where the American people went to war to end the scourge of Nazism across this country and I'm very thankful for that because it's evil and its vile,” he said.
Democrat John Hickenlooper Wins Senate Seat in Colorado, Flipping It Blue
Although Hickenlooper’s win was not a surprise to many, he defeated Republican Sen. Cory Gardner and gained a key seat for Democrats. Democrats are hoping to flip the Senate's current 53-47 Senate majority this election. Democrats will need to win three seats to gain a Senate majority. Hickenlooper’s priorities include: health care, job growth and climate change.
Hickenlooper, the state’s former governor, tweeted after his win Tuesday night, “Thank you, Colorado! Serving you is the honor of my life, and I can’t wait to be your Senator."
All Four Members of “the Squad” Set to Be Reelected to the House
Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar, New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, known as three members of “the squad” and have all won reelection, according to reports.
The race for the fourth woman of the group, Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, has not been called, but she is projected to win, according to reports. The four women of color are all Democrats.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known as “AOC,” raised $17 million in campaign contributions this year, beating out Republic challenger John Cummings.
“Serving NY-14 and fighting for working class families in Congress has been the greatest honor, privilege, & responsibility of my life,” AOC tweeted after her win. “Thank you to the Bronx & Queens for re-electing me to the House despite the millions spent against us, & trusting me to represent you once more.”
Ritchie Torres Wins a Congress Seat to Become First Gay Afro-Latino Elected
It’s not a shock that Torres, 32, who is a Democrat, won the House race for New York’s 15th Congressional District against Republican Patrick Delices. The Bronx native has been passionate about police reform throughout his campaign.
"Tonight we made history," Torres tweeted. He called his win “the honor of a lifetime to represent a borough filled with essential workers who risked their lives so that New York City could live.”
Mondaire Jones also won in New York's 17th Congressional District race to become another first as an openly gay and Black member of Congress.
Black Lives Matter Activist Cori Bush Becomes Missouri’s First Black Congresswoman
Cori Bush, who is also a nurse, won a whopping 84% of the vote in the state’s 1st Congressional District.
“This is definitely a night to remember,” Bush said in her acceptance speech. Justice Democrats, an organization that seeks to "to elect a new type of Democratic majority in Congress” backed Bush throughout her campaign." The group also helped propel Ocasio-Cortez to her win in 2018.
Bush has been involved with BLM since the killing of Michael Brown in 2014 and has also recently been involved in protests for George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
David Ortiz Becomes Colorado’s First Bisexual Member Elected to the House
Ortiz, 38, will represent the state’s 38th district after winning 56.6% of the vote against Republican incumbent Richard Champion. Ortiz is also a former helicopter pilot in the U.S. military and survived a helicopter crash in Afghanistan that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He often advocates for disabled veterans and his win also makes him the first person in a wheelchair elected to the state legislature.
“I am incredibly humbled, honored, and excited to declare victory in the race for Representative of State House District 38,” Ortiz tweeted of his win.
Tarra Simmons Becomes First Person Convicted of Felony to Be Elected to Washington State Legislature in Modern History
Simmons, who is now an attorney, was initially a nurse, but she was arrested three times due to a drug addiction and served 20 months in prison. In 2014, she was released and went to law school. Simmons has now become an advocate for criminal justice reform.
Simmons defeated her Republican opponent, April Ferguson, with 64.6% of the vote, according to reports.
When she won her seat in Washington’s 23rd District, Simmons tweeted “From the Big House to the State House...We Do Recover!”
Widow of Parkland Victim Wins School Board Seat in Florida
Debra Hixon, whose husband, Chris, was killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, after trying to disarm the shooter, has been elected to the city’s school board three years later. Hixon won more than 60% of the vote, according to reports.
"It means this county has confidence and faith in me, and that means so much because they have been really what's gotten our family through the last three years, and I am so honored to be able to serve them for the next four years on the school board," Hixon told CNN affiliate WPLG-TV after her win.
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