Democrats hope the Senate could finally have more than one Black woman

Politics

Democrats have a chance to send more Black women to the Senate in 2024 than have ever served in the chamber in its 234-year history. Those hoping to break that particular glass ceiling have a message for the party: Don’t blow it.

Retirements by Senate incumbents in Maryland, Delaware and California created a rare trifecta of open seats in blue states. Even more unusual is the fact that a Black woman is a top contender in each field.

Democrats have their best shot in Delaware. Sen. Tom Carper announced last week that he would not seek a fifth term and threw his weight behind Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, the first woman and person of color to represent the state. It’s a welcome development for the party after the disappointments of the midterms when two Black female candidates won Senate nominations in North Carolina and Florida but fell short in November.