Every member of "The Squad" won their races on Tuesday despite Republican efforts to oust each one with heavily-funded opponents and non-stop media coverage.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez easily won her race in New York, Ayanna Pressley
cruised to victory in Massachusetts, Ilhan Omar
secured her seat in Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib
held her spot in Michigan.
Our sisterhood is resilient. pic.twitter.com/IfLtsvLEdx
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 4, 2020
President Donald Trump and conservative news outlets spoke about Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib endlessly throughout election season, often in blatantly bigoted ways.
The Republican Party poured tens of millions of dollars into races to beat the four women of color, but each opponent failed.
John Cummings, Ocasio-Cortez's 60-year-old Republican challenger, raised more than $10 million to take her on, according to The New York Times.
The newspaper reported that Cummings used the national conservative angst around Ocasio-Cortez to push for donations that he spent haphazardly across Queens and The Bronx.
There are already rumors in New York circles about what Ocasio-Cortez will do next and he stoked speculation during a campaign stop the day before election day.
“People don’t believe me when I say this, but it’s true, though: I question even my future of staying in politics in general. There’s a world where me staying in the House is the best thing that I can do. There’s a world where me serving in a different capacity is the best thing I can do. There’s a world where me not being in politics anymore and going back to school, teaching is the best thing that I can do,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Analysts who spoke to The New York Times mulled whether she would consider running for governor of New York or for the Senate. Others noted that she would be eligible to run for president in 2024 if she wanted to.
But in a statement on Twitter, she thanked voters for backing her in this specific race.
Serving NY-14 and fighting for working class families in Congress has been the greatest honor, privilege, & responsibility of my life.
Thank you to the Bronx & Queens for re-electing me to the House despite the millions spent against us, & trusting me to represent you once more. https://t.co/MXG2Z2DV2F
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 4, 2020
"Serving NY-14 and fighting for working class families in Congress has been the greatest honor, privilege, & responsibility of my life. Thank you to the Bronx & Queens for re-electing me to the House despite the millions spent against us, & trusting me to represent you once more," she wrote.
Omar, who has become a frequent target for Trump's racism, wasted no time in addressing the president directly after her win.
Yo @realDonaldTrump ????????♀️ https://t.co/M1BalM9UlF
pic.twitter.com/d4ixCBe1pw— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 4, 2020
In another tweet, she noted that her Republican opponent "spent $10mil to get 4% more than my 2018 republican opponent who spent $25k.
"Misplaced hate has separated so many Republicans from their precious dollars. We, by contrast, spent less than $5mil and got more votes than any other MN CD candidates," she wrote.
Omar went on to directly address the criticism Trump often levels at her, namely that she and other immigrants are "changing" America into the countries they fled. Trump has repeatedly led chants at his rallies where his fans scream "send her back," according to CNN.
"The irony of worrying about people turning America into Somalia, while allowing Trump to do literally what Somali dictators used to do.Wake up, he is destroying everything that sets up apart.We send election observers into other countries, we shouldn’t need ours monitored," Omar wrote.
The irony of worrying about people turning America into Somalia, while allowing Trump to do literally what Somali dictators used to do.
Wake up, he is destroying everything that sets up apart.
We send election observers into other countries, we shouldn’t need ours monitored.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 4, 2020
Tlaib easily cruised to victory in Michigan's 13th Congressional District on Wednesday morning and held on to her seat.
She and Omar became the first Muslim women to serve in Congress with Tlaib also being the first Muslim woman in Michigan's House of Representatives, according to The Hill.
To all my #13District residents: Thank you for your faith in me to continue fighting for our Western Wayne + Downriver + Detroit + Highland Park communities.
I will never back down because you deserve someone who won't sell you out and will always stay #rootedincommunity. pic.twitter.com/AceUR0UuUU
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 4, 2020
The Metro Times wrote that Tlaib spent hours in the cold on Tuesday pushing people to vote.
Pressley won reelection early on last night, with the Associated Press calling her race around 11 p.m.
Together, we have fought for our shared humanity. We have organized. We have mobilized. We have legislated our values.
I am so proud to be your Congresswoman & your partner in the work.
I believe in the power of us.
And we’re just getting started. https://t.co/P0jPUK04wM
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) November 4, 2020
"Together, we have fought for our shared humanity. We have organized. We have mobilized. We have legislated our values. I am so proud to be your Congresswoman & your partner in the work. I believe in the power of us. And we’re just getting started," she wrote.
She went viral on election day after doing The Wobble at a polling station in Massachusetts.
Despite the four wins, the Democratic party lost seats in the House of Representatives. They may still hold on to the majority, but what was expected to be an expansion of their majority has turned into a dogfight. They lost a number of seats in Florida, New York, Iowa and South Carolina, according to The Daily Kos.
Despite the losses, it appears that "The Squad" will be growing by two members thanks to crucial wins in the House by Cori Bush in Missouri and Jamaal Bowman in New York.