In Alabama, Republican Katie Britt became the state’s first elected female Senator after defeating Democratic candidate Will Boyd. She’ll replace retiring Senator Richard Shelby. Britt previously served as president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama. Alabama has had two women Senators previously, both Democrats who were appointed to fill a vacancy.

Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders was elected the first woman Governor of Arkansas. Sanders rose to prominence when she served as White House press secretary for former President Donald Trump between 2017 and 2019. Her victory also makes her the first daughter of a former governor to fill the position held by her father. Mike Huckabee was governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007.

Leslie Rutledge, also a Republican, became the first elected female lieutenant governor of Arkansas. Rutledge entered the Arkansas gubernational race but switched to the race for lieutanant governor after Sarah Huckabee Sanders joined the Republican primaries. The victories of Sanders and Rutledge made Arkansas the first state to have two women in the top two executive offices.

In California, Democrat Alex Padilla became the state’s first elected Latino Senator. Padilla, the son of Mexican immigrants, was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the seat left vacant by Kamala Harris when she became Vice President.

Democrat Wes Moore became the first black person to be elected governor of Maryland and the third black governor in US history. Moore, a US Army combat veteran, will replace Republican Governor Larry Hogan.

Democrat Rob Bonta became the first Filipino-American to be elected attorney general of California. Bonta was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the US with his family at a very young age. He was temporarily appointed to the position by Governor Newsom last year to replace Xavier Becerra, who was appointed Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration.

Democrat Robert Garcia won a US House seat in California, becoming the first openly LGBTQ immigrant elected to Congress. Garcia immigrated from Peru in the 1980s when he was 5. Garcia served as mayor of Long Beach, California, for eight years.

Massachusetts elected the US’s first openly lesbian governor, Maura Healey. Healey currently serves as Massachusetts attorney general and is also the first female governor-elect of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.