An NPR article reports that the incoming 2027 Senate class holds many historic firsts: Josh Turek as the first Paralympian, Abdul El-Sayed as the first Muslim, Peggy Flanagan as the first Native American, and Chris Pappas as the first openly gay man elected to the chamber. It also notes Democrats took Senate control in 2026 with wins in Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, South Carolina, Texas, and Kansas.