How fantastic to see so many firsts, with such diverse candidates, win the Republican ticket.

IA – Joni Ernst: First woman ever elected Senator in Iowa; first combat veteran ever elected to the U.S. Senate.

WV – Shelly Capito: First woman ever elected to Senate in her state.

WV – Alex Mooney: First Latino elected to Congress in state history.

SC – Tim Scott: First black elected to Senate in the South since reconstruction.

UT – Mia Love: First black woman elected to Congress; first ever of Haitian descent.

NY – Elise Stefanik: At 30 years old, she is the youngest woman ever elected to the lower chamber of Congress.

WV – Saira Blair: Having just turned 18 years old, this college freshman won election to the state Legislature, which will make her the youngest lawmaker in U.S. history. She was too young to even cast a vote for herself. Ms. Blair ousted a 44-year-old, two-term Democrat by a 63 percent to 30 percent margin.

IL – Evelyn Sanguinetti: First Hispanic elected to state office as lieutenant governor.

TX – Greg Abbot and CO – Cory Gardner: Won both Hispanic and women’s votes over their abortion fanatic opponents.

NM – Susana Martinez: Superstar governor easily won re-election and now joined by 31 other states to be governed by Republicans.

In addition, 70 percent of all state legislators will be Republicans, with a broad coalition of diverse backgrounds. Even in Nevada, “Dirty” Harry Reid may soon be on the run by Governor Brian Sandoval, another Republican star to watch.

As a woman, I’m tired of hearing we are a party of old white men. Many more have discovered we strive toward equal opportunity for all.

They also agree that conservative values, the Constitution and Rule of Law are not extremist – they’re American!