Tuesday’s primaries once again showcased a Democratic Party that’s starting to look like America. No one can say the party is leaving white men behind, with the Democratic nominees for governor in Minnesota and Wisconsin falling into that demographic. But at the same time, Democrats made or are poised to make a set of firsts.
Connecticut has never elected a black Democratic member of Congress—which is likely to change with the nomination of teacher Jahana Hayes to replace retiring Rep. Elizabeth Esty.
Last week, Rashida Tlaib won her primary in Michigan and became a favorite to be the first Muslim woman ever in Congress … but this week, she got company when Ilhan Omar won her primary to succeed Rep. Keith Ellison. Omar would also become the first Somali-American in Congress. Ellison, for his part, won the nomination for Minnesota attorney general despite late-breaking abuse allegations. If he wins, he would be the first Muslim elected statewide.
Vermont Democrats nominated Christine Hallquist, the first out transgender major party nominee for governor in any state. Incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott is heavily favored to win the race, though.
For their part, Republicans in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District nominated a two-time loser with a history of grossly sexist and homophobic blog posts. But hey, he’s a white man, so.
