WASHINGTON – From Zohran Mamdani in New York City to Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, a slew of candidates across the country broke barriers in the 2025 elections. Women in Virginia and Detroit shattered the glass ceiling, while candidates of diverse backgrounds elsewhere became “firsts” in other ways.

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield made history, becoming the city's first woman mayor in an election she led from start to finish.