At the moment when Ayanna Pressley found out that she beat Michael Capuano, a ten-term Democrat in Massachusetts’ Seventh District, in September’s congressional primary, the emotions—particularly the shock—were palpable.
Pressley, 44, is likely a bit less surprised by her victory tonight, considering the primary was the real battle for this seat: She didn’t have a Republican opponent. All the same, the Chicago native and outspoken advocate for progressive values must be feeling some kind of way. After all, she’s just made history, as not just the first black woman, but also the first woman of color, to ever represent Massachusetts in the House.
Representative-elect Pressley was elected by the sole district in the state with a greater population of color than whites; thus it’s fitting that, after 20 straight years repped the pretty-damn-progressive Capuano, the Seventh is the district that delivered Massachusetts this historic win.
Pressley’s lived experiences resonate with voters everywhere, not just in her district, and it’s hard not to be excited for someone of such strength moving into the House.
She was a struggling student of color, the daughter of a single mother, at her largely white, affluent, private high school in Chicago. She was a Midwesterner who moved East in 1992 to attend Boston University. And her life experiences are unlike those of many leading politicians: she has long spoken of being sexually abused as a child and raped in college, that her father struggled with drug addiction and spent most of her youth incarcerated.
“What probably makes me an outsider is my story and how I came to this work,” Ms. Pressley said in an interview. “I am probably an outsider because I challenge conventional narratives about who should have a seat at the table.”
Pressley’s campaign has no shortage of potent catchphrases—“Change can’t wait” is perfectly hashtag-worthy, and another of her rally cries says so much more:
“The people closest to the pain should be closest to the power.”
Tonight, let’s hope Pressley feels none of that pain, as she accepts her hard-won power. We know she’ll use it for good.
Congratulations, Massachusetts! You found a star in Representative-elect Pressley!