India, Nov. 4 -- The 2026 US midterm elections were marked by a string of historic breakthroughs, as candidates on Wednesday broke through social and political barriers across the country to achieve milestones that had long eluded the country's politics. Their wins appeared to reflect a broader shift in the political landscape, with the results throwing the spotlight on changing representation in the US public life.

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in US history, while Democrat Gina Hinojosa is set to become Texas's first Latina governor. Democrat Chris Pappas won the Senate race in New Hampshire, becoming the first openly gay man elected to the chamber.

Here is a look at the trailblazers who m...