LGBT, Muslim and Women Candidates Make History in the 2018 Midterms
*By Chloe Aiello*
The 2018 Midterms may well go down in U.S. history as an election of firsts, with historic wins for Muslims, women, and LGBTQ candidates.
In Boston, city council woman Ayanna Pressley made history by becoming the first black woman the state of Massachusetts has ever sent to Congress. Pressley ran unopposed after she ousted 10-term incumbent Rep. Michael Capuano in the primaries.
In New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old Bronx native and self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, [became the youngest women ever elected to Congress](https://cheddar.com/videos/cheddars-midterm-races-to-watch). She made headlines in September after a stunning primary upset over career politician and incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley.
Two Midwestern states will both be the first to send Muslim women to Congress come 2019. Ilhan Omar handily beat her Republican opponent and will go on to the House to represent Minnesota's fifth district, which includes much of Minneapolis. She will also be the first Somali-American in Congress.
In Michigan, voters elected Rashida Tlaib to fill a seat vacated by John Conyers, who resigned last year after allegations of sexual misconduct. Tlaib won by a landslide in a district that includes parts of Detroit and its suburbs.
Jared Polis made history in Colorado as the first openly gay man to be elected governor in the U.S. An early cannabis proponent, Polis ran on a progressive platform and replaced incumbent John Hickenlooper, who had reached his term limit.
The U.S. Senate, circumventing holds by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, on Thursday confirmed the nominations of two senior military leaders, including the first female member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Using sidewalks as exam rooms and heavy red duffle bags as medical supply closets, volunteer medics spend their Saturdays caring for the growing number of migrants arriving in Chicago without a place to live.
Israeli troops advanced toward Gaza City on Thursday, as the Palestinian death toll rose above 9,000. With no end in sight after weeks of heavy fighting, U.S. and Arab mediators intensified efforts to ease Israel's siege of the Hamas-ruled enclave and called for at least a brief halt to the hostilities in order to aid civilians.
Rep. George Santos easily survived a vote Wednesday to expel him from the House as most Republicans and 31 Democrats opted to withhold punishment while both his criminal trial and a House Ethics Committee investigation proceed.
Former President Donald Trump's two sons, Eric and Donald Jr., are set to take the stand in the ongoing civil fraud trial against Trump and his companies. Trump Jr. is expected to testify Wednesday.
