The number of Latinos in the Senate will reach a record next year, from five to seven, thanks to the victories of Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz. and Republican entrepreneur Bernie Moreno in Ohio.
The 119th Congress will also include several other historic Latino lawmakers in the House of Representatives, although Hispanic representation in that chamber will decrease slightly, from 48 to 45.
A new analysis from the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), assessing the gains and losses of Latinos in Congress, finds that Hispanic candidates successfully sought congressional seats in 12 states in the 2024 elections – achieving major milestones in New Jersey, Washington, Colorado and California, as well as Arizona and Ohio.
According to the analysis, the partisan composition of Latino senators did not change dramatically. It went from three Democrats and two Republicans to four Democrats and three Republicans. Similarly, the partisan makeup of Latino members of Congress in the House went from 35 Democrats and 13 Republicans to 36 Democrats and nine Republicans.
In the U.S. Senate, incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was re-elected, while fellow incumbent Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; Ben Ray Luján, DN.M.; and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., were not seeking re-election.
Gallego defeated Republican opponent Kari Lake to become Arizona’s first Latino senator. His victory marks the fourth straight Senate race in which Democrats have emerged victorious in that state. He replaces independent Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who retired after one term.
Moreno, a Colombian immigrant who became a high-profile car dealer in Cleveland, unseated Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. The Republican businessman was endorsed by now President-elect Donald Trump in the midst of a heated primary. He will be the first Latino and person of color to represent Ohio in the Senate.
If Rubio is confirmed as secretary of state, the number of Latinos in the Senate will drop to six.
Forty Latino incumbents running for re-election to the House of Representatives won, while four lost their seats, according to ALEO’s count. Among the incumbents who won are Luz Rivas and Gil Cisneros, both of whom will replace retiring members of Congress in California.
Rivas, a Democratic Assembly member, won the 27th Congressional District. The seat is being vacated by retiring Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif. Cisneros, a former congresswoman and Democrat, will take over the seat of retiring Rep. Grace Flores Napolitano, D-Calif., in the 31st Congressional District.
“Latinos chased congressional seats across the country in landmark races in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives,” NAEO CEO Arturo Vargas said in a statement. “Although Latino seats in the U.S. House of Representatives have declined, Latino candidates on both sides of the aisle have made history in this election cycle.”
In New Jersey, Democratic state Sen. Nellie Pou was selected to replace Rep. Bill Pascrell on the ballot, a week after the 87-year-old congressman died following a lengthy hospitalization. After defeating her Republican opponent Billy Prempeh in the state’s 9th Congressional District race, Pou became the first Latina to represent New Jersey in Congress.
In Colorado, Latino GOP challenger Gabe Evans narrowly defeated freshman Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Colo., by less than 1 percentage point in a heavily Hispanic district north of Denver. Caraveo had made history in 2022 as the first Latina congresswoman to represent the state. But now, Evans will make history as the state’s first Latino Republican elected to a full term in Congress, according to ALEO. Latino Rep. Greg Lopez, R-Colo., won a special election in June that filled out the remainder of former Assemblyman Ken Buck’s term after he resigned in March. Lopez did not run for a full term.
Democratic state Sen. Emily Randall became the first queer Latina elected to represent Washington’s 6th Congressional District, and former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, a Democrat, became the first Latino to hold a congressional district in more than 120 years Northern California, according to NALEO.
Starting next year, there will be a total of 52 Latino members for the 119th Congress.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
