Michigan election firsts: Muslim, LGBTQ, Democratic socialist wins

Michigan’s midterm elections marked a number of historic firsts
Voters elected country’s first Muslim US Senator in Abdul El-Sayed, state’s first openly gay US Representative in Jeremy Moss
Benson, Brinks make history as first female duo to win governor, lieutenant governor. First transgender woman elected to state House

LANSING — From the first all-female gubernatorial duo in state history to the nation’s first Muslim senator, Michigan voters on Tuesday elected candidates who made history in more ways than one.

Propelled by record turnout for a midterm election and voter frustration with President Donald Trump, Democrats won big, sending majorities to Washington and a new governing “trifecta” to Lansing.

“We showed the nation that in our democracy, the power of the people will always rule the day,” Gov.-elect Jocelyn Benson said in her victory speech.

Here’s a look at some of the historic firsts:

State’s first all-female governor, lieutenant

Benson and running mate Winnie Brinks became the state’s first all-female ticket to win election as governor and lieutenant governor, a milestone Benson touted in her victory speech.

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Benson is also the first candidate to succeed a governor from her own party since the 1960s. The last to do so was John Swainson, in 1961, who succeeded G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams as the 42nd governor of Michigan.

Benson will be the 50th, succeeding term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Nation’s first Muslim US Senator

There’s been much ado about El-Sayed, whose win over Republican Mike Rogers made him the first Muslim ever elected to the US Senate.

But other notable wrinkles: He’ll take over a seat previously held by Michigan’s first Jewish US Senator, Carl Levin. Levin retired in 2014 and was succeeded by retiring US Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township.

US Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, is also Jewish, meaning Michigan will now have its first ever Jewish/Muslim duo in the US Senate.

Detroit House seats go full DSA

For the first time ever, Detroit will be fully represented in the US House by Democratic socialists.

Incumbent US Rep. Rashida Tlaib waltzed into a fifth term in office on Tuesday, winning her race against Republican James Hooper by roughly 55 percentage points.

She’ll be joined in the US House by state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who beat incumbent Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar in the primary and on Tuesday defeated Republican TP Nykoriak by 57 points.

Both Tlaib and McKinney are members of the Democratic Socialists of America.

“My constituents voted for Democratic Socialism this election because they feel the devastation of corporate greed in their lives – poisonous air, unaffordable housing, job loss, lengthy power outages, medicaid cuts, and more,” McKinney said in a statement.

First transgender woman in Michigan Legislature

Democrat Joanna Whaley also made history Tuesday night by winning election to the state House, making her the first transgender woman elected to the serve in the Michigan Legislature.

Whaley, who will represent the Downriver-based 2nd House District, is a Lincoln Park clergy member and clinical spiritual care provider who campaigned on lowering utility bills, medical debt relief and improving job training programs, among other things.

The district is currently represented by Democratic state Rep. Tullio Liberati, who did not run for reelection.

His brother Frank Liberati, also a former lawmaker, lost to Whaley in the August primary after unsuccessfully trying to force her to run under her birth name, which she had legally changed.

Michigan’s first openly gay member of Congress

State Sen. Jeremy Moss also made history by winning election to the US House. He’ll be the state’s first openly gay congressional lawmaker.

Moss easily won election in the Oakland County-based 11th US House district. He succeeds outgoing US Rep. Haley Stevens, who ran for the US Senate but lost to El-Sayed in the primary.

State’s first Native American in Congress

State Sen. Sean McCann ousted US Rep. Bill Huizenga in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District and made history in the process.

The Kalamazoo Democrat is believed to be Michigan’s first ever Native American in Congress. He’s a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and has said he learned of his Native ancestry as an adult.