Indian-American Kamala Harris on Wednesday scripted history when she emerged victorious in the key election for the US Senate seat from California, becoming the first black and Asian Senator from the State.
Harris, 52, California’s Attorney General, is the first Indian-American to achieve the feat.
She defeated fellow Democrat loretta Sanchez.
Harris is also the sixth black individual to be elected to the US Senate. US President Barack Obama was the fifth black elected Senator.
She is the first black woman elected to the upper chamber in more than two decades, becoming the first Indian-American to achieve the feat. Harris has become only the second black woman in the nation’s history to serve in the US Senate.
California had never before elected a black or latino politician to the US Senate. By electing her, voters tore down a colour barrier that has stood for as long as California statehood.
Media reports showed Harris, a two-term attorney general, was winning by more than 1.3 million votes early today.
“Kamala will take the oath of office as California’s next Senator on January 3, 2017,” said the office of the Senate elect.