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Illinois elects its first Latina congresswoman, Democrat Delia Ramirez

“We just made history tonight,” Ramirez said Tuesday in front of a crowd of supporters. “We broke a glass ceiling.”
Illinois State Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, gives her remarks on the Illinois legislative maps proposal during debate on the floor of the Illinois House of Representatives at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Ill., Tuesday, August 31, 2021. [Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register]

Illinois Redistricting
Illinois state Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Chicago, at the State Capitol in Springfield on Aug. 31, 2021.Justin L. Fowler/The State Journ / The State Journal-Register/USA Today

Democratic state Rep. Delia Ramirez is the winner in Illinois’ 3rd Congressional District, NBC News projects, defeating Republican Justin Burau.

Her win made Ramirez the first Latina elected to Congress from Illinois.

"We just made history tonight," Ramirez said Tuesday in front of a crowd of supporters. "We broke a glass ceiling."

With 63% of the votes in, Ramirez had 65.4% of the votes, while Burau had 34.6%, according to the NBC News Decision Desk.

"I am proud to be serving as your next congresswoman," Ramirez said.

In 2018, Ramirez became the first Guatemalan American elected to the Illinois General Assembly. According to her campaign website, Ramirez has worked on affordable housing and expanded coverage for seniors, supported an elected school board in Chicago and worked to protect abortion rights in the state.

The state's first Hispanic member of Congress was Democrat Luis Gutierrez, who was elected in 1993 and retired in January 2019. Democrat Jesús "Chuy" García was elected to replace Gutiérrez in November 2018.

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