While much of the attention has been focused on U.S. Democratic candidates who won two significant gubernatorial races Tuesday, there were also sweeping Democratic victories throughout the United States for a number of minority and LGBT candidates.
As Democrats won gubernatorial races in the swing state of Virginia and in New Jersey, Election Day was historic for a number of minority and LBGT candidates on state and local levels.
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Andrea Jenkins became the first openly transgender woman of color to be elected to public office in the U.S. Jenkins, who was previously a policy aide to the council's vice president, won a seat on the Minneapolis City Council by capturing more than 70 percent of the vote.
'Chief homophobe' defeated
Danica Roem became the first openly transgender woman elected to a state legislature when she defeated Virginia Delegate Robert Marshall, who called himself the state's "chief homophobe" and refused to debate Roem, referring to her with male pronouns.
"Discrimination is a disqualifier," Roem told supporters Tuesday night shortly before she was officially declared the winner.
After serving two terms on the Hoboken City Council, Ravinder Bhalla became the first Sikh mayor in New Jersey, sparking an outpouring of enthusiasm among the estimated 200,000 Sikhs who live in the U.S.
Bhalla defeated five other candidates in the race that became divisive after fliers appeared with a picture of Bhalla wearing a turban that read, "Don't let TERRORISM take over our town."
Also in New Jersey, Sheila Oliver became the state's first African-American lieutenant governor as the running mate of Governor-elect Phil Murphy, who defeated Republican opponent and current Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno by a wide margin.
Oliver joins Justin Fairfax of Virginia as the country's only two African-American lieutentant governors. Fairfax is the first African-American to be elected to statewide office in Virginia since 1989.
Seattle firsts
There were two election firsts in Seattle, Washington, where Jenny Durkan was elected as the city's first lesbian mayor and voters selected Zachary DeWolf as Seattle's first openly gay school board member. DeWolf said after his victory he wants to make LGBT students in the city feel like they are accepted and safe.
"I want to show that you can be your whole self," he said.
Women and minorities also won a number of other contests.
Michelle Kaufusi was elected mayor of Provo, Utah, the first time a woman won the position in the city's nearly 160-year history. Kaufusi succeeds Mayor John Curtis, who won the congressional seat that was vacated when Jason Chaffetz resigned in June.
Vi Lyles became the first African-American woman elected mayor in Charlotte, North Carolina, after serving as an at-large City Council member for four years.
In Minnesota, St. Paul City Council member Melvin Carter III was elected as the city's first African-American mayor after winning more than 50 percent of the vote.
"Being able to carry a majority of the first choice votes says to me loud and clear that St. Paul is a city ready for change," Carter told supporters Tuesday night.
In Virginia, Kathy Tran was the first Asian-American elected to the House of Delegates. Eliza Guzman and Hala Ayala were the first Latinas to win seats in the state's legislature.
