Deb Haaland Could Be First Native American Congresswoman

After her primary victory in New Mexico on Tuesday, Deb Haaland is on a path to become the first Native American woman ever to serve in Congress — a step more than 200 years in the making. “It’s not that we haven’t tried,” Haaland, a Democratic candidate and member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, told TIME. “It’s not that native women haven’t tried. Ada Deer tried. Kalyn Free tried. Denise Juneau tried a couple years ago.” All three women lost their respective election bids — in Wisconsin in 1992, Oklahoma in 2004 and Montana in 2016. There are currently only two Native American members of Congress, OK Rep. Tom Cole and Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin, both Republicans. Haaland’s primary victory in New Mexico’s solidly Democratic First Congressional District on Tuesday was praised by many as a historic step forward in a state where more than 10% of the population is Native American.