The United States of America is one of the most diverse and liberal countries in the world. For years, its citizens have campaigned for equality for all people no matter their race, gender or sexual orientation. Despite the great strides the U.S. has taken, there is still room for improvement when it comes to diversity and representation, especially when it comes to politicians.
Black political power is not as strong as it could be, which could be because the Black population is often dismissed. Even to this day, Black people have to fight to be recognized.
In 2022, a court case began when the state of Alabama refused to redraw its congressional maps which only included one majority-Black district. This was a clear act of gerrymandering that was rightfully called out.
While women already struggle to be taken seriously in the political landscape, Black women are even more overlooked. In the 234-year history of the U.S., only two Black women have ever served as senators.
Their names are Carol Moseley Braun, who represented Illinois for one term in the 1990s, and Kamala Harris, who represented California for four years before becoming vice president in 2021.
As of right now, there are only three Black senators total currently in the chamber. They are Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Tim Scott, R-S.C. and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.
After the announcement that he would be retiring in May, Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. Already had a replacement in mind. That was Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester.
In 2016, Blunt Rochester was elected as Delaware’s lone representative to the U.S. House. When Blunt Rochester won the House seat, she became the first woman to represent Delaware in Congress.
In June 2023, Blunt Rochester announced her candidacy to represent Delaware in the United States Senate in the 2024 election. If elected, she would be the first woman and person of color to represent Delaware in the Senate.
Next is Barbara Lee, a politician who served as a U.S. representative from California since 1998, representing the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2001, Lee was the only member of Congress not to vote for the authorization of military force following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Something interesting is that Gov. Gavin Newsom has promised to appoint a Black woman as replacement of Sen. Dianne Feinstein if her health continued to decline. With Feinstein’s passing, it is anybody’s guess if he meant what he said, because as of right now, Lee is the only Black woman in the Senate race, and she has yet to receive Newsom’s endorsement.
Of the three Black women starting a candidacy to be in the Senate, Lee has the fiercest competition. Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Katie Porter are also running for the seat. Both have a high profiles and Schiff has a fundraising advantage. Despite the competition, Lee could possibly wrangle a win if she plays her cards right.
Last but not least is Angela Alsobrooks. After Sen. Ben Cardin retired, this left a vacancy for someone to occupy his former Senate seat representing Maryland. Alsobrooks is the executive of Prince George’s County. She launched her candidacy in May 2023.
Alsobrooks had served as the state’s attorney of Prince George’s County for eight years. Alsobrooks’ competition consists of Rep. David Trone, co-founder of the Total Wine & More beverage chain, who made history as the largest self-funder in congressional history when he won his race in 2018.
Montgomery County Council member Will Jawando has also entered the race. Rep. Jamie Raskin, a popular figure among Democrats who was in remission after treatment for lymphoma, has not yet announced his candidacy but has also not yet ruled anything out.
Alsobrooks has received an endorsement from Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., a powerful member of Democratic leadership in the House who has served his state for decades. She has also received an endorsement from EMILY’s List, which helps elect Democratic women. If she wins, Alsobrooks would become the first Black senator to ever represent Maryland.
These women are redefining what people think when they think politicians, or when they think power. Black women for a long time have not been shown the proper respect in any field, so that three are vying for such big political power and being taken seriously shows that times are changing. Hopefully this moves the country into a place where people are truly judged for their content of character and their ability to get things done rather than the color of their skin.