Table Of Contenti
“Historic Firsts in U.S. Elections deepens our understanding of the social, psycho-
logical, and racial context surrounding the election of minority candidates. It is a
must- read for those interested in American electoral politics.”
Jas M. Sullivan, Louisiana State University
“Truly pathbreaking candidates do not come along often. When they do, we need
to understand how they campaign, mobilize support, and, if elected, do their work
as representatives. This volume does that important work and should be read by
scholars and politicians alike.”
John M. Sides, Vanderbilt University
“This important and intersectional text moves beyond the Historic Firsts of Shirley
Chisholm, Jesse Jackson, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama to offer superb
analysis of gubernatorial, congressional, and mayoral historic firsts. The authors
brilliantly demonstrate the limits as well as achievements of descriptive and sub-
stantive representation for historic candidacies across race, ethnicity, and gender.
Simien’s influential theory of symbolic empowerment undergirds this volume
which helps to frame how scholars and practitioners should consider both multi-
racial and multiethnic constituencies in American behavioral studies. This is an
essential text for anyone who seeks to better understand electoral outcomes via
an intersectional lens.”
Nadia E. Brown, Georgetown University
ii
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HISTORIC FIRSTS IN U.S. ELECTIONS
Historic Firsts in U.S. Elections:Trailblazing Candidates in Gubernatorial, Congressional, and
Mayoral Campaigns examines barrier- breaking figures across various types of elective offices
and constituent groups. The moment in which historic firsts enter the electoral arena,
and the unique campaigns that ensue, are shown to be symbolically empowering. These
change agents on the campaign trail become lighting rods for more liberal policies, and
their candidacies are tied to questions of representation, electability, and performance. The
distinctive combinations of race, ethnicity, and gender identities represented here translate
into voter excitement to go to the polls and participate in other ways. Original chapters
by respected scholars and practitioners consider how recent breakthrough elections are
similar to yet different from past elections for gubernatorial, congressional, and mayoral
offices. The shadow of Donald Trump’s wildly unconventional U.S. presidency looms over
this groundbreaking analysis, linking local to national level politics. For students of politics
across the curriculum, this book expands the theoretical capacity of intersectionality
research and links it to voter mobilization and electoral success
Evelyn M. Simien is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Indigeneity, Race,
Ethnicity, and Politics (IREP) master’s degree program at the University of Connecticut.
She received her Ph.D. from Purdue University and specializes in intersectionality research,
African- American politics, public opinion, and political behavior.
iv
RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER
IN POLITICS AND POLICY
In collaboration with the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in
the Social Sciences at Duke University
Series Editors: Kerry L. Haynie and Paula D. McClain
www.routledge.com/ Race- Ethnicity- and- Gender- in- Politics- and- Policy/ book-
series/ REGPP
This series is devoted to publishing studies that examine and explain the dramatic
transformations in race, ethnicity, and gender politics over the past decade. We wel-
come work that highlights and analyzes the ways that race, ethnicity, and gender –
and especially, their various intersections – interact to shape political institutions,
individual attitudes and behaviors, social norms, and the policy-m aking process.
Books in the series will include original scholarly research, core textbooks, sup-
plementary topical books, and reference works.
Titles in the Series
Black Politics in Transition
Immigration, Suburbanization, and Gentrification
Edited by Candis Watts Smith and Christina M. Greer
Latinas and the Politics of Urban Spaces
Edited by Sharon A. Navarro and Lilliana Patricia Saldaña
Historic Firsts in U.S. Elections
Trailblazing Candidates in Gubernatorial, Congressional, and Mayoral Campaigns
Edited by Evelyn M. Simien
v
HISTORIC FIRSTS IN
U.S. ELECTIONS
Trailblazing Candidates in
Gubernatorial, Congressional,
and Mayoral Campaigns
Edited by Evelyn M. Simien
vi
Cover image: Official Photo of Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D- Massachusetts), courtesy of United States
Congress; Official Photo of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D- MN05), courtesy of United States Congress; Official
photo of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D- MI), courtesy of United States Congress; Photo of London Breed,
courtesy of City of San Francisco; Photo of Andrew Gillum, courtesy of City of Tallahassee.
First published 2022
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 selection and editorial matter, Evelyn M. Simien, individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Evelyn M. Simien to be identified as the author of the editorial material,
and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with
sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Simien, Evelyn M., 1974– editor.
Title: Historic firsts in U.S. elections : trailblazing candidates in gubernatorial,
congressional, and mayoral campaigns / edited by Evelyn M. Simien.
Other titles: Historic firsts in United States elections
Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2022. |
Series: Race, ethnicity, and gender in politics and policy |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2021051845 (print) | LCCN 2021051846 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781032101569 (hardback) | ISBN 9781032101521 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781003213925 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Elections–United States–History–21st century. |
African American politicians–History–21st century. | Women politicians–
United States–History–21st century. | Legislators–United States–
History–21st century. | Governors–United States–History–21st century. |
Mayors–United States–History–21st century.
Classification: LCC JK1965 .H564 2022 (print) |
LCC JK1965 (ebook) | DDC 324.973–dc23/eng/20211130
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021051845
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021051846
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 10156- 9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 10152- 1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 21392- 5 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003213925
Typeset in Bembo
by Newgen Publishing UK
vii
For my daughters, Skylar- Belle and Lillian- Reese
viii
ix
CONTENTS
List of Figures and Tables xi
List of Contributors xiii
Acknowledgments xv
1 Historic Firsts in U.S. Elections: An Introduction 1
Evelyn M. Simien
2 Andrew Gillum’s Quest to Become Florida’s First Black
Governor 17
Sharon Wright Austin
3 Ilhan Omar: Breaking Barriers for Muslim, Somali American,
and Immigrant Women 33
Stefanie Chambers and Laurel Elder
4 Ayanna Pressley: Change Can’t Wait 52
Lauren E. Jones and Evelyn M. Simien
5 Rashida Tlaib: A Symbol and Champion for Detroit 72
Michael Minta
