2017 Elections: This Year's Biggest Winners

One year after Donald Trump's presidential win, United States citizens voted in elections at the local and regional level, including gubernatorial elections, elections to city councils, and mayoral elections. This year's elections featured several incredibly memorable races, and included some milestones for underrepresented groups in the political sphere. In case you were too busy studying to keep up with the news, here's a recap of this years biggest winners.  

Ralph Northam 

In perhaps the most buzzed about election of the night, Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam beat Republican Ed Gillespie in Virginia's gubernatorial election. Because of Ed Gillespie's political similarities to Donald Trump, this election has been viewed as a test of the public's opinion on Trump. Image via.

Phil Murphy

Democrat and former Goldman Sachs executive Phil Murphy beat out Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno in New Jersey's gubernatorial election. Virginia and New Jersey were the only states that elected new governors this year. Image via.

Danica Roem 

In a landslide victory over self professed "chief homophobe" Bob Marshall, Danica Roem was elected into Virginia's House of Delegates, becoming the first openly transgender person to be elected into State Legislature in United States history. Image via.

Andrea Jenkins 

When elected into Minneapolis City Council on November 7, Andrea Jenkins became the first openly transgender woman of color to be elected into office in the United States–another significant stride in minority representation at the local level. Image via.

Melvin Carter III  

In St. Paul's mayoral election, Melvin Carter III was elected and will become the city's first mayor of color. Image via.

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