This week’s midterm elections brought historic firsts for diversity along with them—and a number of first-time elected officials whose professional backgrounds include firefighting, reconstructive surgery, and other work outside of politics.
Last year, public service and politics, business, and law were the “dominant professions” among members of Congress, according to the federal government’s website, though many had also worked in education in some capacity.
Analyses of past representatives from Brookings and the Congressional Research Office show that those professions have remained prevalent for decades, while some other industries, including agriculture and journalism, have seen some decline in representation.
The incoming class of elected officials may well have the same characteristics. However, this election season attracted also candidates from a variety of backgrounds, many of whom won.
Medical experts and scientists, in particular, felt compelled to run for office in light of the Trump administration’s attacks on research and subject-matter expertise.
Military veterans, whose presence in Congress has dwindled according to Pew Research, also ran a number of successful campaigns.
A related theme this midterms season was voters’ support for populist, non-politician candidates, which harkens back to some of the sentiments that helped Donald Trump gain supporters a decade ago.
Here are 20 newly elected representatives whose careers to date haven’t included elected offices—or, in some cases, any government roles at all.
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