(Image via sarahmcbride.com)

Staff Writer: Brian Galindo

Email: bgalindo@umassd.edu 

The 2024 election is over. Many things were voted on – questions in some states, senators in most, representatives in all, and, of course, the president.

While there were certainly negative things that came from this election, let’s focus on the positive. Here are a couple of milestone appointments from the 2024 election.

First off is Sarah McBride. With a history as a member of Delaware’s state senate, she just became the United States’ first openly transgender congresswoman as a member of the House of Representatives in Delaware.

McBride has been in politics since 2020, serving in the aforementioned state senate. There, she advocated for and helped pass state laws relating to health care and paid medical leave.

As a member of the House, McBride intends to continue pursuing her priorities on a national level. She has promised to fight for better, more accessible health care, similar to what she did in Delaware.

Additionally, her priorities include:

• Access to and protection of reproductive health care;
• An economy focused on the people, rather than big business;
• The strengthening of workers’ rights and unions;
• Criminal justice reform;
• And sustainability in the era of climate change.

A further expansion of her opinions on these subjects, as well as others, can be found on her website: sarahmcbride.com.

In other good news, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, the first two Muslim congresswomen, won their incumbent races in rather impressive fashion.

Tlaib, who currently serves as a representative in Michigan, is also the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress. As a Palestinian, one of her main points of interest recently has been the genocide in Gaza and an effort to make America stop its assistance.

She also has a history of supporting laws and bills to help the oppressed and impoverished, especially children.

A list of acts she currently supports, as well as her voting history, can be found on her website: tlaib.house.gov.

Omar serves as a representative in Minnesota. Like Tlaib, she also opposes the actions of Israel in Gaza and calls for America to cease supporting the heinous genocide taking place.

Omar’s other notable positions are:

• Restructuring the immigration system and abolishing the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE);
• Ensuring a living wage for all Americans;
• Lowering the price of higher education;
• And establishing a healthcare system that works for every American.

To learn more about Ilhan Omar, her priorities, and her work as a congresswoman, her website is omar.house.gov.

Now, these wins may feel small compared to the feeling of monumental loss from the presidential election. That is an understandable feeling, but it isn’t necessarily true.

Though things look grim, there are several checks and balances for a reason. With Congressional elections like the ones listed here, people will undoubtedly be using them.

Though the Republicans may have control of the Senate, and maybe the House too (as of writing this, they have a lead but not a confirmed majority in the House), this isn’t game over.

Some more extreme proposals will be opposed even by the president-elect’s party. It has been seen before that many Republicans do not support him and have voted against his policies and for his impeachment and removal.

These times are dark, but it is important we see the light. We will walk this road together. It is the time to support each other and care for each other until this passes.

If you find yourself struggling, attached are resources for students to contact. It will be okay. It might not be now, but it will be.

UMass Dartmouth Counseling Center: 508-999-8648

UMass Dartmouth After-Hours Crisis Line: 508-910-4357