The 2026 midterm elections are turning out to be historically significant beyond the broader implications for the rest of President Donald Trump’s second term. From Alaska to Georgia, there are multiple races where candidates could make history at the state and national levels.
We’re seeing a record number of women candidates running for state legislature. Eight Black candidates are vying to become governors, another historic number. At every level of government, there are at least 355 Native American or Indigenous candidates running for office – another record breaker. And 1 in 3 candidates this cycle is Gen Z or a millennial.
As a country, we are just 60 years out from the massive cultural shifts of the 1960s that were supposed to lead to a more
equitable country. In some respects, it’s shocking that we’re still seeing so many “firsts” happen, and that some might not happen at all, depending on what happens on Nov. 3.
Where are these key midterm races happening?
Multiple key Senate races feature candidates who could make history if elected:
- In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed could be the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate.
- In New Hampshire, Chris Pappas could be the first openly gay man elected to the chamber (Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin was the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as a U.S. senator).
- Rep. Mary Peltola, the first Alaska native member of Congress, could become the first Alaska native in the U.S. Senate.
- Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan could be the first Native American woman in the upper chamber.
There are also several governor races that could lead to monumental firsts. Democratic nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia and Republican nominee Lisa DeMuth in Minnesota could each become the first Black woman to be governor in our nation’s history. In New Mexico, former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland could be the first Native American woman elected governor in the United States.
There are also some potential statewide firsts that are worth celebrating:
- In Colorado, democratic socialist Melat Kiros could become the first Black woman in Congress from the state.
- Arkansas could finally elect its first Black congressman if Democrat Chris Jones wins.
- Both Tennessee and Minnesota will elect the first women governors in the state’s history regardless.
- Female candidates in Georgia, Idaho and Pennsylvania could also break the glass ceiling in those states.
- Republican Byron Donalds of Florida, Democrat Aaron Ford of Nevada and Democrat David Crowley of Wisconsin could each become their state’s first Black governors.
Regardless of party, it should be celebrated that our country is closer to these historic firsts. It is important that our nation is represented by people who look like our country; it is important that these barriers are broken in pursuit of a more equitable society.
Barrier-breaking representation is what America needs
These historical firsts and record-breaking candidacies are aligned with what we’ve seen during the Trump era. In 2022, the most openly LGBTQ+ candidates in our nation’s history ran for office, and a record number of Latinos were sent to Congress.
In 2024, Delaware elected Rep. Sarah McBride, the nation’s first out transgender member of Congress. Many of the records broken this year were set in recent years.
Despite the rightward shift of the country in the last presidential election, these records show that we are living through a period of positive change in terms of representation. It’s incremental, yes, but it is change, nonetheless.
There’s still a long way to go before we achieve true political representation for all. For a nation that tells every child they could grow up to be president, we have not made good on that promise. Of the candidates who could make history, not all of them will be elected. There are still many bigoted people in this country who believe that someone’s race, gender, sexuality or religion will affect their ability to be an efficient leader.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on Bluesky: @sarapequeno.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From Georgia to Michigan, midterm races could break barriers | Opinion
