Democrat Colleen Hanabusa, right, congratulates candidate Tulsi Gabbard after both women won their Hawaii Congressional district seats, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at the Japanese Cultural Center in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
Marco Garcia, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Our take: There were a lot of firsts in faith during the 2012 election season. Here is an informative roundup by the Washington Post of election results that resulted in some firsts in Congress. Among them are the election of a Hindu in the House and a Buddhist in the Senate, which will make those chambers reflect the diverse religious landscape of the United States.
Democrat Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii was elected Tuesday, succeeding Rep. Mazie K. Hirono, who ran for the U.S. Senate.
The Iraq War veteran, born in American Samoa to a Catholic father and a Hindu mother, served on the Honolulu City Council and in the state Legislature.
Hirono, who is Buddhist, also won her race Tuesday. In 2006, she and Georgia Democrat Hank Johnson were the first Buddhists elected to Congress; in 2010, Colleen Hanabusa, a Democrat from Hawaii who is also Buddhist was also elected. She will be the first Buddhist senator when the new Congress convenes in January, Religion News Service reported Wednesday.
Read more about various firsts elected to Congress on The Washington Post.
DeseretNews.com encourages a civil dialogue among its readers. We welcome your thoughtful comments.
— About comments
Matt writes about faith how it is lived, how it intersects with society and how current trends affect religious practice. He returned to reporting and writing after more than 12 years as an editor, most recently a more ..
- Mitt Romney talks IRS, AP records, Benghazi...
- LDS missionary 'stable' following hit-and-run...
- Fly a flag for Cody: Army confirms Utah man...
- A look at why the Benghazi issue keeps coming...
- Girl gets surprise reunion with dad at Rays...
- Treasury IG says Obama administration...
- Republicans try to link IRS scandal, Obama's...
- IRS probe ignored most influential groups on...
Subscribe
Mobile
RSS
- Mitt Romney talks IRS, AP records,...
58 - 'Unprecedented': Obama administration... 27
- Attorney General Eric Holder says he... 21
- Journalists push back against Obama... 21
- Angry Orrin Hatch: IRS guilty of... 19
- IRS lacked 'sensitivity' in screenings... 17
- House chairman sees IRS targeting as... 16
- Angelina Jolie announcement leads to... 12
Here's another first. Tammy Baldwin, an openly gay woman was elected to the Senate. Her successor in the house was an openly gay man. They may also be religious or they may not, the articles don't mention it, but either way, firsts are More..