In the midst of an energetic match-up between the Democratic and Republican parties for control of the House and Senate, the 2018 midterms marked an important win for one particular party: women. In 2019, more women will serve in Congress than ever before, and among them are a plethora of monumental victories for underrepresented communities and groups that have the potential to bring unaddressed issues to the national forefront.
Among the historic victories in the 2018 midterms is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a twenty-nine year old New Yorker and the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Ocasio-Cortez’s victory came after an upset win against high-profile incumbent Democrat Joseph Crowley, the fourth ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives. The young Democrat’s win was also a significant testament to the capability of grassroot campaigns, as her humble beginnings and interpersonal relationships with her constituents allowed her to comfortably take the seat. “The campaign was almost entirely focused on physical organizing and digital outreach to reinforce that physical organizing,” Ocasio-Cortez said during an interview with Jacobin Magazine. “I spent a good six months building trust with grassroots organizations and earning some of that trust and credibility to turn out people who normally do not believe in electoral politics.”
Another notable victory took place in Michigan with Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit native born to Palestinian immigrants who became the first Muslim woman elected to Congress. Similar to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign, Tlaib recognizes the significance of grassroot organizations and appears to be a promising break from the corporate Democrat’s agenda of empty promises to get elected and leaving behind the very communities they vow to fix. “Elevating the voices of residents has to include grassroots advocacy on the ground. Combined with my experience as an attorney, we’ll be able to change people’s lives for the better,” Tlaib told In These Times.
Even women who did not win made historic strides for the districts they hoped to represent. Stacey Abrams, a promising candidate in Georgia who’s loss caught national attention as she refused to concede to Brian Kemp on the grounds of voter suppression. “Georgia citizens tried to exercise their constitutional rights and were still denied the ability to elect their leaders,” Abrams told a crowd of supporters. “To watch an elected official who claims to represent the people in this state baldly pin his hopes for election on the suppression of the people’s democratic right to vote has been truly appalling. So let’s be clear: This is not a speech of concession.”
This historic win for women in Congress is undoubtedly a testament to the standard of diversity and representation in American politics.
Colin Watamura
Tags: alexandria ocasio-cortez, Georgia, grassroots, Michigan, midterms, New York, rashida tlaid, stacey adrams, women, women in congress
