Native Americans elected to Congress in record numbers this year

This year saw a record number of Native Americans elected to Congress, with at least six candidates winning election and reelection. 

The six victories were all in House races, CBS News reports. The winners include Reps. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).

{mosads}Two non-incumbents also made up the record slate of wins in the House, including Hawaii state Senator and Rep.-elect Kai Kahele (D), who will fill outgoing Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s (D-Hawaii) seat, as well as Rep.-elect Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.), who defeated Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) this week.

Indian Country Today was first to report the news Wednesday.

According to the news outlet, 13 Native Americans ran in House races this week.

With the recent wins by Herrell and Haaland in New Mexico, along with the victory secured by Democrat Teresa Leger Fernandez for the state’s 3rd congressional district, the state has became the first in the nation to elect all women of color to its House delegation.

History was also written this week in Kansas, where Christina Haswood, a Navajo Nation member, won election to the state legislature at the age of 26, becoming the youngest in history to do so, according to The Guardian.