Meet the history-makers of the 2024 elections

Annette Choi, CNN | 11/6/2024, 9:20 a.m.
The winners of several elections up and down the ballot will be making history this year, CNN projects.
Sarah McBride, Josh Stein, Julie Johnson and Lisa Blunt Rochester. Mandatory Credit: AP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

The winners of several elections up and down the ballot will be making history this year, CNN projects.

With CNN projecting a Donald Trump win for president, his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, is poised to be sworn in as the first millennial vice president.

Both parties are also poised to welcome a diverse group of newly elected lawmakers in Congress and in state executive offices.

Among the projected winners in US Senate races are Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, who – in addition to becoming their states’ first Black senators – will also be the first two Black women to serve simultaneously in the chamber.

In the House, CNN projects North Dakota to make history with the election of its first woman, Republican Julie Fedorchak, to the state’s at-large district. The result will leave Mississippi as the only state not to have elected a woman to the US House.

Democrats are also poised to make breakthroughs for LGBTQ representation. Sarah McBride, the projected winner of Delaware’s at-large House seat, will be the first transgender person to serve in Congress. Julie Johnson will be the first out LGBTQ person to win a federal election in Texas, the nation’s second-most populous state.

While the overwhelming majority of governors are elected in midterm elections, a handful of governorships were on the ballot this year. One of the projected winners – North Carolina Democrat Josh Stein – will be his state’s first Jewish governor. And New Hampshire Republican Kelly Ayotte, a former senator, will become the state’s first elected woman governor.

There are many races for which CNN has not yet projected a result. But of the ones for which a projection has been made, here are the candidates who made history with their victories.

This list will be updated as more winners are projected.

Ohio

OH-SEN: Republican Bernie Moreno will be the first Latino senator from Ohio, CNN projects, unseating Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown. Moreno, a car dealership owner from Cleveland, was born in Colombia and moved to the US with his family as a child.

Washington state

WA-AG: Democrat Nick Brown will be the first Black person elected attorney general of Washington state, CNN projects, winning the open race to succeed Democrat Bob Ferguson, who CNN projects will win his race to become governor. Brown is the former US attorney for the Western District of Washington.

WA-06: Democratic state Sen. Emily Randall will be the first out LGBTQ person elected to Congress from Washington state, CNN projects, succeeding retiring Democratic Rep. Derek Kilmer in the state’s 6th Congressional District. Randall, who is Chicana, will also be the first out LGBTQ Latina elected to Congress.

New Hampshire

NH-GOV: Former Republican US Sen. Kelly Ayotte will be the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire, CNN projects, winning the open race to succeed retiring GOP Gov. Chris Sununu. Ayotte, who is also a onetime state attorney general, will defeat Democrat Joyce Craig, the former mayor of Manchester. (Note: Republican Vesta Roy served as acting New Hampshire governor for eight days between 1982 and 1983 but was never elected.)

New Jersey

NJ-SEN: Democrat Andy Kim will be the first Korean American elected to the US Senate, CNN projects, winning the open seat that was once held by former Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez. The son of Korean immigrants, Kim will also be the Garden State’s first Asian American senator.

Maryland

MD-SEN: Democrat Angela Alsobrooks will be the first Black senator from Maryland, CNN projects, defeating Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County executive, will also be the second female senator from Maryland after Democrat Barbara Mikulski.

The projected election of Alsobrooks and Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester to the Senate will mark the first time that two Black women have served simultaneously in the chamber.

North Dakota

ND-AL: Republican Julie Fedorchak will be the first woman elected to the US House from North Dakota, CNN projects, winning the open seat for the state’s at-large district. Fedorchak, an elected member of the North Dakota Public Service Commission, will succeed GOP Rep. Kelly Armstrong, who is running for governor.

Delaware

DE-SEN: Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester will be the first Black and first female senator from Delaware, CNN projects, winning an open seat to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Carper, her onetime boss. Blunt Rochester, who is in her fourth term representing Delaware’s at-large US House district, was also the first woman and first Black person elected to Congress from the First State.

The election of Blunt Rochester and Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks to the Senate will mark the first time that two Black women have served simultaneously in the chamber.

DE-AL: Democrat Sarah McBride will be the first transgender member of Congress, CNN projects, winning the race for Delaware’s at-large congressional district. McBride, a state senator, will succeed Democratic Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, who won election to the US Senate. McBride will also be the first out LGBTQ person elected to Congress from Delaware.

North Carolina

NC-GOV: Democrat Josh Stein will be the first Jewish person elected governor of North Carolina, CNN projects, defeating scandal-plagued Republican nominee Mark Robinson. Stein, the state attorney general, will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

Texas

TX-32: Democrat Julie Johnson will be the first out LGBTQ person elected to Congress from Texas, CNN projects, winning the open race for the state’s 32nd Congressional District. Johnson, a state representative, will succeed Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who ran for Senate.

Arizona

AZ-03: Yassamin Ansari will be the first Iranian American Democrat elected to Congress, CNN projects, succeeding Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District. The daughter of Iranian immigrants, Ansari is a former member of the Phoenix City Council.

Virginia

VA-10: Democrat Suhas Subramanyam will be the first Indian American elected to Congress from Virginia, CNN projects, winning the open race for the commonwealth’s 10th Congressional District. Subramanyam, a state senator whose parents immigrated to the US from India, will succeed retiring three-term Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton.

This story has been updated with additional information.