10 Candidates Who Could Make History in the Midterms

The November 3 midterm elections are making history. With political ad spending exceeding $11 billion, this election cycle holds the record for being the most expensive in U.S. history. Additionally, congressional maps have been redrawn at a rate not seen since the 1800s as parties vie for victory. Amidst these changes, Donald Trump's approval rating is unusually low ahead of the midterms.

This election could also see a multitude of identity barriers broken. In Governor races across the country, 26 women are vying for posts, according to Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. For Congress, several candidates could potentially make history with their identities.

In the House of Representatives, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, is leading his re-election bid against Republican opponent Lewis Mizrahi. A widely considered uncompetitive race, Jeffries, a first-term Democratic leader, would become the first Black person to lead a major political party in Congress if elected.

For the Senate, if Democrats gain a majority, Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health director, could become the first Muslim U.S. Senator. El-Sayed, who has never held elected public office, leads in public opinion polling but faces opposition from Republican Mike Rogers, who has attempted to link El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood.

The first openly gay male Senator could be New Hampshire's Democratic House member, Chris Pappas. Pappas, who married his partner in 2023, is also a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. While Republicans have not targeted Pappas' sexuality, they have accused him of failing to disclose a relationship with a corporate lobbyist.

Oklahoma's gubernatorial race could produce the first Korean-American governor. Cyndi Munson, a Democrat and first Asian-American woman elected to Oklahoma's state legislature, is running against Republican Mike Mazzei. However, Munson trails in a recent poll.

Another potential historic race is in Georgia, where Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms could become one of the U.S.'s first Black female governors, should she win against Republican billionaire Rick Jackson. Bottoms emphasizes the personal significance of this potential milestone for her family.