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- "The Squad" — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — secured their seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday's election.
- The four women of color lawmakers were elected in the 2018 midterm elections.
- In their first term, members of the Squad openly criticized President Trump and his administration's policies including those around immigration, climate change, and racial justice.
- The Squad is expected to expand with the election of several progressives and anti-establishment Democrats to Congress.
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All four members of "the Squad" — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — won their re-election bids to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, cementing their progressive flank in the Democratic Party for another two years.
Omar won against Republican Lacy Johnson to represent the state's 5th District. Ocasio-Cortez, who was the overwhelming favorite in her reelection race in New York's 14th Congressional district, beat out GOP opponent, John Cummings, who raised about $10 million. While Pressley defeated independent Roy Owens in Massachusett's 7th District and Tlaib surpassed Republican David Dudenhoefer for Michigan's 13th Congressional District.
—Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 4, 2020
Notorious for their solidarity, sisterhood, and friendship, "The Squad" name first started as a 2018 photo caption on Instagram and eventually evolved, according to ABC News. The four women of color lawmakers saw historic wins in 2018 and quickly became prominent figures as they rallied for marginalized communities while drawing the ire of the GOP and President Donald Trump for their progressive views.
Trump and the Squad clashed over several issues, including immigration and climate justice, but most notably after racist tweets sent from the president last July, telling the four women to "go back" to the "broken and crime infested places from which they came."
As Business Insider's Eliza Relman reported, at the time a racially-charged rift had also emerged between the Squad and Democratic establishment, laying bare tensions between the party's progressive caucus and congressional leadership.
But the "resilient" Squad is expected to grow in numbers. On Tuesday, the group of lawmakers added newly-elected members, including Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman.
Bush, a Black Lives Matter activist won her bid for a House seat in Missouri's 1st Congressional District, becoming the first Black woman to represent the state in Congress.
In October, she tweeted the squad was "about to be a lot more than" just "AOC plus 3," as Trump has dubbed the group.
"Our progressive movement is here to stay, and we're only getting stronger," Bush wrote on Twitter.
Bowman, who ran on an anti-establishment message, defeated a long-term incumbent to win a House seat representing New York's 16th Congressional District.
"it's time for a new era," he tweeted Tuesday.
—Jamaal Bowman (@JamaalBowmanNY) November 3, 2020
Here are the four women that new Squad members will be joining on Capitol Hill in the 117th Congress.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wins New York's 14th District
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After her first election in 2018, Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC "by community & the people," came into the political arena swinging. Formerly the youngest elected into Congress— a record now held by 25-year-old Madison Cawthorn — Oscario- Cortez has been outspoken about progressive issues such as the Green New Deal, women's rights, poverty, and LGBTQ rights. She is also known for openly criticizing Trump and had advocated for the abolishment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 4, 2020
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar wins in Minnesota's 5th District
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Omar, one of the first Muslim and Somali-American women in Congress, won against her opponent with 64.51% of the votes, according to Business Insider via Decision Desk HQ. Since her tenure, Omar has been known for her progressive views on climate change, affordable healthcare, greater education accessibility, and is an advocate for the protection of immigrants.
—Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) November 4, 2020
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley wins Massachusetts's 7th District
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Pressley swept her competitor, independent Roy Owens, with 86.3% of the votes, according to The New York Times. She is known for standing firm on fighting for issues like contract government workers, civil and women's rights, and mental health.
Pressley along with Senator Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Barbara Lee of California's 13th congressional district announced the Anti-racism in Public Health Act bill in September, according to Street Sense Media. The bill "will create a National Center for Anti-Racism at the CDC to formally declare racism as a public health crisis," Pressley said in an interview with a Boston radio station, WGBH, on September 11.
—Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) November 4, 2020
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib wins in Michigan's 13th District
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Tlaib is the first Palestinian American and one of the first Muslim American women to hold a seat in the House. According to Detroit News, she raised millions of dollars during her reelection run compared to her opponent with an estimated $3.8 million. Tlaib has been an advocate for climate change and Street Sense Media reported that Tlaib introduced the Public Health Emergency Shelter Act along with Pressley to assist displaced individuals impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
—Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 4, 2020
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