Rising Political Stars to Watch After the 2026 Midterms

As the results of the 2026 midterm elections come in, more than a handful of breakout winners are poised to reshape America’s political landscape in the new year. From history-makers like Keisha Lance Bottoms to change-makers like Aaron Ford, let’s take a look at the newly elected officials who reflect the beautiful diversity of this country and Americans’ desire for real change.

Keisha Lance Bottoms

Keisha Lance Bottoms made history by becoming the state’s first Black governor and the first Black woman elected governor in American history. During her campaign, she ran on lowering everyday costs, cutting or suspending grocery taxes, addressing rising insurance costs, and more. Now that she’s officially been elected, we can’t wait to see her make good on her promises.

“We have to be thoughtful, and we’ve got to listen to people when they tell us that they are hurting. And when they’re asking, ‘What can you do to make a difference?’ It may not be that we have the big, perfect solution. But it’s how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. How do we move the needle and just give people some relief?” Bottoms told The Root in our “What’s Popular?” series before she won.

Bottoms, who previously served as mayor of Atlanta, has already rallied Georgians together. Here’s hoping she brings even more of her determination and unifying spirit to her new role.

Related: Black History is Made in Governor’s Races Across America

Abdul El-Sayed

In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed emerged victorious in the U.S. Senate race, beating Republican Mike Rogers, becoming the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate.

In a previous interview with The Root, El-Sayed expressed gratitude for the Black church and the Civil Rights Movement for helping to expand opportunities for all Americans. He also noted that building trust with Black voters was integral to ensuring he could bring the change Michiganders wanted to see. He’s also been described online as a “mini Zohran Mamdani,” drawing comparisons to the mayor of New York City who has been enacting positive change since his election one year ago. Let’s see if El-Sayed will follow in his footsteps.

David Crowley

Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley made history in his state by becoming the first Black governor of Wisconsin. His win came over Republican Trump-endorsed candidate Tom Tiffany. During his acceptance speech, Crowley pushed for further unity, noting that what unites Wisconsinites is “so much bigger” than what divides them.

Crowley, who faced eviction growing up, reflected on his monumental win, explaining that while he was proud to be the first, he’s hopeful that he won’t be the last Black person to move into the Governor’s mansion.

Aaron Ford

Nevada’s new governor (and Kappa Alpha Psi member) Aaron Ford is one to watch. His state’s first Black governor, Ford is looking forward to shaping a better future for his constituents and is bringing his hope, hard work, and plans for a more equitable state to the forefront.

That’s one of the reasons why this part of his victory speech hit so hard: “This campaign didn’t happen by accident. It happened because of faith. Because of family. Because of hard work. And because the people of Nevada decided our best days are still ahead of us,” he said.

Melat Kiros

Gen Z, stand up! Thanks to the voters who came out in droves in Colorado, Melat Kiros has become the first Gen Z woman to be elected to Congress. With this win, the Ethiopian, endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, also becomes the first Black woman to represent the state in that capacity.

Before her win, Kiros expressed pride in her lineage, highlighting that she comes from a long succession of “proud black socialists and radicals.” She said she looks forward to building on the ideals and actions that they took so long ago.

“I’m coming from a long generation of proud, proud black socialists and radicals and fighters that have been naming the fact that racial justice and economic justice are inevitably intertwined. And our responsibility is to hold these institutions accountable for failing to respect our dignity and our basic rights,” she said in an interview with Black Women Lead.

Juliana Stratton

The state of Illinois is getting a double dose of woman power in the Senate, as Julianna Stratton was elected to the U.S. Senate. She now joins Sen. Tammy Duckworth, marking the first time that the state will have two women of color serving together in the chamber.

Stratton also becomes the sixth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate and will join Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, hitting yet another milestone – the first time three Black women will serve in the Senate at the same time.

Byron Donalds

There was major news coming out of Florida, as Republican Byron Donalds won the gubernatorial election. Taking the reins from two-term Governor Ron DeSantis, Donalds became the first Black governor in the state’s history. However, he made it abundantly clear during his victory speech that he’s still closely tied to Trump and the Republican Party, noting that the state was “still red” despite the blue wave happening elsewhere in the country.

It will be interesting to see how Donalds navigates his term in this new climate. We say Black folks aren’t a monolith all the time, and this win surely proves that.

Peggy Flanagan & Deb Haaland

While Minnesota took its time counting all the votes, Democrat Peggy Flanagan eventually emerged victorious, defeating Michele Tafoya in the U.S. Senate race. She’s now the first Native American woman to be elected to the Senate. She previously served as the lieutenant governor and a former state representative.

Similarly, Deb Haaland won the New Mexico gubernatorial election, defeating Republican Greggory Hull. She has now become the first Native American woman elected governor in U.S. history. Before her win, she served as the Interior Secretary under former President Joe Biden and was one of at least 355 Native American and Indigenous candidates running in races this year, according to The Washington Post.