Democrats Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids have become the first Native American women elected to Congress.
Haaland won New Mexico’s first congressional district, while Davids won the third district in Kansas.
A member of Laguna Pueblo tribe, Haaland cruised to victory in the Democrat safe seat in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
A lawyer by profession, she campaigned on a platform of tackling climate change and income inequality, as well as providing universal healthcare.
In an interview with ABC News in June, Haaland said, “In 230 years, there’s never been a Native American woman in Congress. I have never seen myself in that body of our government.”
Davids is a Cornell Law School graduate and professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter, who was raised by a single mother.
She is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, a Native American tribe that hails from Wisconsin.
The former White House fellow under Obama, is openly gay and an advocate for LGBT issues.
ICYMI: I am proud to be endorsed by @KCStar.#KC03 pic.twitter.com/6XbBwa517d
— Sharice Davids (@sharicedavids) November 5, 2018
There are around three million Native Americans in the United States or around one percent of the population.
Haaland and Davids will join two other Native American members of the House of Representatives, both of whom are Republican.
Tom Cole, of the Chickasaw tribe, represents Oklahoma’s fourth district, and Markwayne Mullin of the state’s second district represents the state’s second.
Tonight, we made history. https://t.co/VC4HNSRc2i
— Deb Haaland (@Deb4CongressNM) November 7, 2018
