Marilyn Strickland: First African American elected to Congress from the state of Washington

Democrat Marilyn Strickland, the former mayor of Tacoma and CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, has won the open congressional race in Washington’s 10th Congressional District.

The Associated Press called the race for Strickland, in a district representing Olympia, Lakewood, Puyallup, eastern Tacoma and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Strickland, who was born in Seoul, South Korea, will become both the first Black member of Congress from Washington and the first Korean American congresswoman anywhere in America.