There will be five new African Americans in Congress next year. The 113th Congress will be sworn-in during the first week in January.
At the beginning of the 112th Congress two years ago, there were 44 Black members of Congress. The death of Rep. Donald Payne in March made it 43.
Redistricting ended the congressional careers of Reps. Laura Richarson (D-CA) and Hansen Clarke (D-MI). Rep. Allen West (R-FL) lost last night and it appears, when all the counts are over, that there will be 44 Black members of Congress next year. They will all serve in the U.S House.
1. Joyce Beatty – Former Democratic state representative Joyce Beatty has been elected to a new Ohio congressional district in Columbus. She beat Republican Chris Long.
2. Steve Horsford – Horsford, Nevada’s first Black Senate majority leader, won a new seat created in Nevada.
3. Marc Veasey – Texas State Rep. Marc Veasey will serve in a new House district in North Texas after defeating Republican Chuck Bradley.
4. Hakeem Jeffries – Jeffries, a New York State Assemblyman, was easily victorious in Brooklyn’s 8th congressional district. Rep. Ed Towns held the seat for 29 years before announcing his retirement this year.
5. Donald Payne, Jr. – Payne will serve in New Jerey’s 10th congressional district after the death of his father in March.
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[...] men, but by more women and openly gay lawmakers. Among the legislators, Congress will also have 43 African American members (though only one, Tim Scott was appointed by North Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, will be in [...]
[...] have 44 African-American Congresspersons (out of 435, or 10%, near-parity), zero black Senators (out of [...]