A new "Squad" of progressive lawmakers is headed for Washington, D.C., following victories on Tuesday and could join the existing group fronted by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., according to the Daily Mail.
While Republicans are on track to win a majority in the House of Representatives, Democrats performed better than expected in the midterm elections and won seats in some key swing states.
There were also congressional candidates running in less competitive areas that still managed to make history.
The first member of Generation Z elected to Congress, Maxwell Frost, 25, of Florida is one of the youngest state representative-elects in U.S. history.
Despite big wins by Republicans elsewhere in the Sunshine State, Frost cruised to victory in his left-leaning district, which is anchored by Orlando.
The progressive activist is taking over the seat left open by Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., who vacated it to run for Senate against Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. She was unsuccessful in her bid.
In Vermont, former schoolteacher Becca Balint won more than 60% of the vote, becoming the first woman and first openly LGBTQ person Green Mountain State residents have sent to Congress.
"Today, we reaffirmed that Vermont, and this nation, is still a place where anything is possible," Balint said during her victory speech Wednesday, according to the Mail. "We're still capable of change and progress.
"Tonight, after 231 years, Vermonters are sending a woman and openly gay person to Congress for the first time," she added.
The first Black woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania, Summer Lee, 34, won her race against Republican Mike Doyle in Pennsylvania's redrawn 12th Congressional District by just over 10 points.
Similarly, she made history when she was the first Black woman elected to Pennsylvania's Statehouse, before making a career as a civil rights lawyer.
According to the Mail, Austin City Council member Greg Casar won approximately 75% of the vote in his Texas House race.
As a city council member, the progressive congressman-elect had called for reducing the police budget and repealing Austin's prohibition on homeless encampments.
Rounding out the progressive class headed to Congress next year is Illinois state lawmaker Delia Ramirez, after beating Republican Justin Burau.
Ramirez becomes the first Latina from the Midwest elected to Congress with her Chicago-area win, according to the Mail.
As a Prairie State lawmaker, Ramirez "co-sponsored legislation to stop Illinois cops from acting as Trump's deportation force and making IL one of the most immigrant-friendly states in the nation," according to her website.
The informal original "Squad" of progressive Democratic members of Congress was established in 2019 with core members Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Elected in 2020 were Cori Bush of Missouri and Jamaal Bowman of New York, who later joined as well.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.