With Republicans in control of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, it can feel easy to despair. But last night, progressives scored dozens of victories in local elections, with marginalized groups making strides in mayorships, city councils, and state legislatures across the country.
These are small victories, but the bigger victories require a pipeline of talent – and based on all these stories, the progressive pipeline is looking amazing.
California
- Lisa Middleton was elected to the Palm Springs, CA city council. She’s now the first trans person elected to a non-judicial office in California.
Lisa Middleton, who just won a city council seat in Palm Springs, will be California’s first openly transgender non-judicial elected official https://t.co/4icC6X4s7y pic.twitter.com/WEcIOs8c5y
— Casey Tolan (@caseytolan) November 8, 2017
- Cathy Murillo became the first Latina mayor of Santa Barbara, CA.
Huge congratulations to a former Santa Barbara reporter colleague who from today will be known by a different name: Mayor Cathy Murillo! @CathyMurillo https://t.co/8P2RH97erm pic.twitter.com/SSqGzHndoa
— Barney McManigal (@BarneyMcManigal) November 8, 2017
Georgia
- Booker Gainor was elected the first African-American mayor of Cairo, GA.
- Jonathan McCollar was elected the first African-American mayor of Statesboro, GA.
Breaking: Jonathan McCollar officially wins Statesboro Mayoral race. McCollar becomes first African-American mayor in Statesboro history. https://t.co/hrNyruQqxB pic.twitter.com/Phdjkwno59
— The George-Anne (@TheGeorgeAnne) November 8, 2017
- Mary Parham-Copelan was elected as the first black woman mayor of Milledgeville, GA.
Iowa
- Mazahir Salih won a seat on the Iowa City, IA City Council. She is the first Muslim woman and the first immigrant elected to the Council.
Congratulations to Sudanese-American Mazahir Salih on winning a seat on the Iowa City Council! Mazahir is the first Muslim woman and immigrant to serve on the council. pic.twitter.com/zIdPCLYHNp
— Women’s March (@womensmarch) November 8, 2017
Massachusetts
- Yvonne Spicer was elected the first-ever mayor of Framingham, MA, which recently voted to incorporate as a city rather than a town.
Congratulations to @EmergeMass alum @spicerformayor on her historic win tonight to be the first Framingham Mayor! We’re so excited to see the difference you make leading your community. #EmergeNow pic.twitter.com/UByHXLytOS
— Emerge America (@EmergeAmerica) November 8, 2017
Minnesota
- Melvin Carter was elected as the first African-American mayor of St. Paul, MN.
38 year old Melvin Carter just became the first Black Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/rreMZAfBNa
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) November 8, 2017
- Andrea Jenkins became the first openly trans woman of color elected to the Minneapolis, MN city council.
Andrea Jenkins is now the first openly trans woman of color elected to the city council of a major U.S. city. Congratulations @annapoetic! Congratulations Minneapolis! #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/8zCmcgZblR
— Women’s March (@womensmarch) November 8, 2017
Montana
- Wilmot J. Collin was elected the mayor of Helena, MT. Collins originally came to the United States as a refugee fleeing civil war in Liberia, and he is the first black mayor elected in the history of the entire state.
New Hampshire
- Joyce Craig became the first woman mayor of Manchester, NH.
Joyce Craig becomes the first woman elected Manchester Mayor, @caseymcdermott reports. #MHT #nhpolitics pic.twitter.com/lTs2fAkIDq
— NH Public Radio (@nhpr) November 8, 2017
New Jersey
- Ravinder Bhalla was elected as the first-ever Sikh mayor of Hoboken, NJ. Like Danica Roem in Virginia, he defeated some serious ugliness and bigotry from his opponents.
Thank you Hoboken. I look forward to being your Mayor! #TeamBhalla #FinishedStrong pic.twitter.com/UKPuXkDWGX
— Ravinder S. Bhalla (@RaviBhalla) November 8, 2017
- Sheila Oliver is now the first black woman ever elected as lieutenant governor in New Jersey.
NJ Lieutenant Governor elect Sheila Oliver says she hopes a little girl of color is watching and sees she can reach the heights #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/c8HknKlBkC
— Ryan Songalia (@ryansongalia) November 8, 2017
North Carolina
- Lawana Mayfield, the first LGBTQ person to ever serve on the Charlotte, NC city council, won reelection.
Congrats to our heroine @lawanamayfield on the Charlotte City Council – who just won her reelection bid! #ElectLGBTQ pic.twitter.com/z7mC0IgB23
— Victory Fund (@VictoryFund) November 8, 2017
- Vi Lyles has been elected as the mayor of Charlotte, NC. She is the first black woman ever to hold the position.
Pennsylvania
- With his election to the school board of Erie, PA, Tyler Titus became the first openly trans person elected to public office in Pennsylvania history.
Another historic win! Tyler Titus won his Erie School Board seat to become first openly trans person ever elected in PA! #ElectLGBTQ pic.twitter.com/KFlsT69rr6
— Victory Fund (@VictoryFund) November 8, 2017
Virginia
- Justin Fairfax became Virginia’s second-ever African-American lieutenant governor. He is only the second black candidate ever to win statewide office in Virginia.
Before lieutenant governor-elect Justin Fairfax, the only other black person to win statewide office in Virginia was Douglas Wilder. Ever.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) November 8, 2017
- Danica Roem became Virginia’s first trans state legislator, unseating a man who introduced a transphobic “bathroom bill,” once gladly referred to himself as the state’s “chief homophobe,” and repeatedly misgendered her during the campaign.
When asked about Bob Marshall, Danica Roem said “I don’t attack my constituents. Bob is my constituent now.”
She has more grace and composure than I will ever have. #virginia #DanicaRoem
— Nicholas Trevino (@BlyTarbell) November 8, 2017
- Kathy Tran became the first Asian-American woman ever elected to the Virginia House of Delegates (the lower body of the state legislature).
Kathy Tran came to the U.S. as a refugee from Vietnam when she was an infant. Tonight, she became the first Asian American woman elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Congrats @kathykltran! pic.twitter.com/NSynRwHJ7d
— Women’s March (@womensmarch) November 8, 2017
- Both Elizabeth Guzman and Hala Ayala got to make history tonight as the first Latinas elected to the Virginia House of Delegates (the lower house of the state legislature).
Elizabeth Guzman and Hala Ayala both defeated Republican incumbents tonight to become the first-ever Latinas elected to the Virginia House of Delegates! #ElectionDay #VirginiaElection pic.twitter.com/6XApF5WTrO
— Women’s March (@womensmarch) November 8, 2017
Washington
- Jenny Durkan was elected as the first openly lesbian mayor of Seattle, and the first woman to hold that role since the 1920s.
JUST IN: @JennyDurkan will become first openly lesbian mayor of Seattle! Currently only 1 other big city lesbian mayor in US. #ElectLGBTQ pic.twitter.com/2gRQFjJRO3
— Victory Fund (@VictoryFund) November 8, 2017
We got this.
(Featured image via Shutterstock)
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