Black Americans have made gains in U.S. political leadership, but gaps remain
Kamala Harris’ election represented an advance in the progress Black Americans have made in recent decades in political leadership.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Kamala Harris’ election represented an advance in the progress Black Americans have made in recent decades in political leadership.
Women make up just over a quarter of all members of the 117th Congress – the highest percentage in U.S. history.
Even as younger generations gain representation in Congress, older generations still make up the majority of senators and representatives.
124 lawmakers today identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander or Native American, a 97% increase over the 107th Congress of 2001-02.
More than one-in-five voting members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate are racial or ethnic minorities.
The 69 immigrants and children of immigrants in the 116th Congress claim heritage in 38 countries and are overwhelmingly Democrats.
Turnout in this year’s primaries for Congress and most state governorships surged compared with the last midterms in 2014, particularly among Democrats. Nearly a fifth (19.6%) of registered voters – about 37 million – cast ballots in primary elections for the U.S. House of Representatives – a 56% increase over the 23.7 million who voted in 2014’s House primaries. Turnout that year was 13.7% of registered voters.
Mitch McConnell’s decision to shorten the chamber’s August recess isn’t unprecedented. But in an election year – when a third of senators are on the campaign trail – it’s unusual.
At least 65 of the current voting members of Congress are immigrants or the children of immigrants. These members represent nearly half of U.S. states.
More members of the U.S. House of Representatives are choosing not to seek re-election than at any time in the past quarter-century.
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