The midterm elections in the United States began on November 8, and some results and estimates began to be released as we drafted the current news on November 11.

So far, many Latino Republican and Democratic candidates have made history in these elections, even when votes were still being counted on Wednesday, the 9th, in many parts of the country.

According to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), Latinos ran for key positions in 44 of the country’s 50 states.

Some results by states are presented according to NBC News publication:

Florida

The Afro-Cuban Latino Maxwell Alejandro Frost was the first-generation Z to be elected to Congress. The 25-year-old defeated Republican Calvin Wimbish to represent Florida's 10th Congressional District. With 75% of the vote, Frost received 59% against Wimbish, who got 39.5%, according to the NBC News Decision Desk.

According to the publication, “he will stand out among his soon-to-be peers in the halls of Congress, where the average age of House members is 58”.

The first Mexican-American woman won her seat in Congress. This is Republican Anna Paulina Luna who defeated Democrat Eric Lynn in a race to represent Florida's 13th Congressional District. With 95% of the vote, Luna got 53.1% of the vote against Lynn, who received 45.1%, according to the NBC News Decision Desk, reigning the previously Democratic seat.

Florida had 12 Latino members in Congress, 10 of whom are of Cuban descent. The other two are descendants of Puerto Ricans and Ecuadorians.

California

Another Latino candidate made history as the first LGBTQIA+ immigrant elected to congress.  Democrat Robert Garcia defeated Republican John Briscoe in the race to represent California’s 42nd Congressional District.

Garcia, who is gay and immigrated to the U.S. from Peru at age 5, was first elected mayor of Long Beach in 2014.

“Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla also made history as the first Latino elected to the U.S. Senate from California; Padilla had been previously appointed to the U.S. Senate by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to fill in the seat vacated by Kamala Harris after becoming vice president in 2021”.

According to the NBC News Decision Desk, Padilla is expected to defeat Republican Mark Meuser by about 20 percentage points as of Wednesday afternoon.

Illinois

Illinois’ first congressional elected Latina is Democrat Delia Ramirez who beat Republican Justin Burau in a race to represent the state’s 3rd Congressional District.

With 71% of the vote, Ramirez had 66.8% of the vote, while Burau had 33.2%, according to the NBC News Decision Desk.

The state’s first Latino congressman was democrat Luis Gutierrez, elected in 1993 and retired in January 2019.  Democrat Jesús “Chuy” García was elected to replace Gutiérrez in November 2018.

New York

George Santos will be the only LGBTQIA+ Republican in Congress after a historic dispute between gay candidates for New York’s 3rd Congressional District.

The elected deputy identifies himself as Latino because his parents are Brazilian. 

Santos defeated Democrat Robert Zimmerman with 54.2% against Zimmerman, who received 45.8%, according to the NBC News Decision Desk.

New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado has become the first person to identify himself as Latino to be elected to office, according to NALEO.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos is the first Dominican-American to hold a position as lieutenant governor in the United States, according to NALEO.  The Democrat won her candidacy against Republican Aaron Guckian, winning her first full term.

“Matos, a former Providence City Council president, was appointed lieutenant governor in April 2021 when Dan McKee became the state’s governor”.

Unlike New York and other states, Rhode Island lieutenant governors are elected in a contest separate from the governor’s race.