2 Native American women make history in midterm election

Two Native American women made past Tuesday nighttime successful the 2026 midterm elections, winning a Senate spot and a governorship — some firsts for Native women — arsenic Democrats swept races crossed the country.

In New Mexico, former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was elected governor, making her the archetypal Native American pistillate elected to pb a U.S. state. In Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan became the archetypal Native American pistillate senator.

Haaland, a national of Laguna Pueblo, was already the archetypal Native American to service arsenic a Cabinet secretary. She defeated Republican Gregg Hull, erstwhile politician of Rio Rancho, successful the contention for governor. 

Flanagan, an enrolled subordinate of White Earth Nation, defeated Republican Michele Tafoya, a erstwhile sports broadcaster and blimpish commentator. 

Who are they?

Haaland has notched galore firsts. She became the archetypal Native American pistillate to seat a authorities governmental enactment successful 2015 erstwhile she was elected to pb the Democratic Party of New Mexico. In 2018, she became 1 of the archetypal 2 Native American women elected to Congress, alongside Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas, who was reelected Tuesday. Haaland aboriginal served arsenic erstwhile President Joe Biden's Interior caput from 2021 until January 2025.

On the trail, she spoke astir raising her girl alone, selling homemade salsa and relying astatine times connected nutrient stamps. 

"My communicative is simply a batch similar galore New Mexicans — humble beginnings," she told a Rio Rancho congregation successful October.

Flanagan got her commencement arsenic an organizer, past served connected the Minneapolis School Board and led the Children's Defense Fund Minnesota. She was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives successful 2015 and has been lieutenant politician since 2019, wherever she has helped reshape Minnesota's narration with the state's 11 tribal nations. 

Raised by a azygous parent successful Section 8 housing, Flanagan had puerility asthma that kept her successful and retired of hospitals. She's been an outspoken protagonist of Medicaid, saying that it "saved [her] life." 

What bash they basal for?

Haaland ran connected the outgo of living, protecting New Mexico's Universal Child Care programme and overhauling its kid payment system. She besides blamed President Trump for cuts to national information nett programs. She has promised to contented an enforcement bid connected time 1 to intermission the operation of caller large-scale information centers until the authorities Legislature passes guardrails.

Flanagan drew connected her ain upbringing to link with voters who are feeling financially squeezed. She ran arsenic a progressive, backing "Medicare for All" and nationalist paid household and aesculapian leave.

"Minnesota, you conscionable bushed Donald Trump again," Flanagan told supporters connected Tuesday nighttime astatine her predetermination ticker enactment successful St. Paul, wherever White Earth leaders played a triumph opus connected a drum.

Why does it matter?

The National Congress of American Indians, the country's oldest and largest relation of tribal governments, called the wins historical milestones for Indian Country. Native American women marque up astir 1% of the U.S. population, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, but person agelong been underrepresented successful elected office. 

"Long earlier Native women were welcomed into the halls of government, they were starring our Nations, protecting our families, and shaping the aboriginal of Indian Country," NCAI Executive Director Larry Wright Jr. said successful a connection to CBS News.

"For young Native girls crossed Indian Country, these victories nonstop an important message: their voices matter, their enactment is essential, and they beryllium wherever possibilities are reimagined," said Wright.

He added that helium hopes that practice translates into "meaningful progress," successful particular, protecting tribal lands and honoring pact obligations betwixt the U.S. authorities and tribal nations. 

A 3rd Native American pistillate could soon articulation Haaland and Flanagan successful making past this midterm election. In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola, who is Yup'ik, is successful a Senate contention with incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan that remains a toss-up, according to CBS News estimates. The result whitethorn not beryllium decided until ranked-choice tabulation aboriginal this month.

In:

• New Mexico
• Native Americans
• Minnesota