On Tuesday night, as it became clear that Donald Trump would soundly defeat Vice President Kamala Harris in their heated race for the White House, Black women on the political left choked down yet another spoonful of bitter medicine.
But two historic wins by Black women — Senators-elect Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester, both Democrats — may have helped it go down a bit more easily,
With resounding wins in Maryland and Delaware, respectively, Alsobrooks and Blunt Rochester both became the first Black woman to represent their states in the Senate. They will become the first two Black women to serve in the Senate at the same time, and increased the number of Black women who have ever served in Senate history to four.
Alsobrooks, the former county manager of Prince George’s County, Maryland — the richest majority-Black county in the country — fills the seat of retired Sen. Ben Cardin, who served five terms. Her race drew national attention after Republicans, sensing an opportunity to flip a blue Senate seat, tapped Larry Hogan, the state’s popular former governor, to run against her.
A four-term member of the House representing Delaware, Blunt Rochester is replacing Sen. Tom Carper, her former mentor, who won the seat after serving as the state’s governor.
As Carper’s hand-picked successor, Blunt Rochester was widely considered the favorite in the race and had a solid financial advantage. She raised $8 million in campaign funds while her Republican opponent, businessman Eric Hanson, raised only around $1 million, including loaning his campaign $800,000 out of his own pocket.
In sharp contrast to the top of the Democratic ticket, Alsobrooks and Blunt Rochester both won their races by double-digit margins. And during their victory speeches, both women took note of their places in American history.
Alsobrooks told a crowd of supporters that it is “remarkable” she, a Black woman, will be sworn into the Senate as the country is approaching its 250th birthday.
“In all those years, there have been more than 2,000 people who have served in the United States Senate,” she said. “And only three have looked like me.”
In her speech, Blunt Rochester told supporters that she ran not to make history, but “to make a difference. Still, she gave a shout-out to the Black women who served before her in what some have called the most exclusive club in America.
“As I prepare to step foot on that trail blazed by the three strong Black women senators who came before us — Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Senator Laphonza Butler — I have a message to the young people who are standing up, speaking up, and giving your all for our country and the world,” she said. “I see you, I’m grateful for you and you’ve got next.”
Given it was such a tough night for Democrats, comedian Jon Stewart, hosting a live broadcast of “The Daily Show,” took time to shout-out both Alsobrooks and Blunt Rochester as rare bright spots that should be singled out.
As the audience enthusiastically applauded the news, Stewart wryly observed the irony.
“Look at all the little glass-half-fulls out there,” he said.
