Democrats won races across the ballot in the US midterm elections, while votes were still being counted in contests that could leave the party with a 75-seat House majority and at least 54 Senate seats, according to the results described in the report. The election also produced a series of historic firsts, including in states where Republicans have traditionally been strong.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta’s former mayor, became the first Black woman elected governor, defeating Republican Rick Jackson by a sizable margin. In her victory speech, Bottoms reflected on her great-great-grandmother, born in 1845, and said she was “standing on shoulders made of steel.”

New Hampshire Representative Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to the US Senate, defeating Republican John E. Sununu by a significant margin. Pappas spoke about his husband in his victory speech, saying he felt fortunate to be married to a man he loved.

Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the Senate after a closely watched race. In his victory remarks, he referred to Vice President JD Vance’s role in swearing him in and responded to comments made about him by Vance and President Donald Trump.

Other milestones included Deb Haaland becoming the first Native American woman elected governor, in New Mexico, and Peggy Flanagan becoming the first Native American woman elected to the Senate, winning an open seat in Minnesota.

The results also made Xavier Becerra the first Latino elected governor of California and Gina Hinojosa the first Latina elected governor of Texas. Amy Acton became Ohio’s first woman governor, while David Crowley will be Wisconsin’s first Black governor. Annie Andrews became the first woman elected to the Senate from South Carolina. On the Republican side, Marsha Blackburn became Tennessee’s first woman governor, and Byron Donalds will be Florida’s first Black governor.

Democrats also broke long stretches without winning Senate seats in several states. James Talarico became the first Democrat elected to the Texas Senate since 1988, Andrews the first from her party to win a South Carolina Senate seat since 1998, and Adam Hamilton the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Kansas since 1932.

Sources: Deadline.