Historic midterm wins open doors for Black political leaders

As midterm election results are still being counted, Black candidates from both parties are making history, with several on track to become the first Black individuals to hold distinctive political offices in their respective states. 

In Georgia, Democratic candidate and former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made history by being elected as the state’s first Black and first female governor.

Another Black gubernatorial candidate, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, is set to win his race to become Milwaukee’s and Nevada’s first black male governor in the state’s 178-year history. Like Crowley, Florida’s Republican gubernatorial candidate and congressman Byron Donalds can share the title of becoming the first Black individual to hold a higher political position, as he became the first Black Republican elected governor. 

Another win for Black candidates saw Nevada’s Aaron Ford take the spot as the first Black governor west of the Mississippi. 

While Democrats have made historic advances in gubernatorial races, Black candidates for lieutenant governor are also breaking barriers by becoming the first to serve in these roles across several states. 

In South Carolina, state Senator Mike Reichenbach is projected to win his race and will become lieutenant governor, making him the first Black man elected to the position in over 100 years. Other Black candidates set to become the first lieutenant governors in their states include New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and Oklahoma’s Republican T.W. Shannon.

Pennsylvania’s Austin Davis had already made history as the state’s first Black lieutenant governor before the 2026 midterm elections, but Tuesday he secured a second term as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor. 

Beyond Governors and Lieutenant Governors, in Colorado, 29-year-old Melat Kiros became not only the first Black Democratic Socialist congresswoman-elect but also the first Gen-Z to hold the position.