On the Bright Side: Catherine Cortez Masto Becomes First Latina Woman Elected to U.S. Senate

Fans of Hillary Clinton may be reeling today after a tough and surprising loss to Republican Donald Trump, but some down-ballot races still left things for them to be excited about. In Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto won her election for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid's open Senate seat. In doing so, she will officially become the first Latina woman to ever be elected to the U.S. Senate. Her grandfather immigrated to the United States from Chihuahua, Mexico.

Cortez Masto defeated Republican Joseph J. Heck with 47 percent to Heck's 45 percent. She celebrated her victory in a message to supporters on Twitter.

Cortez Masto becomes the fourth Latinx Senator currently serving in the Senate, alongside Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Ted Cruz (R-Tx.). She's also joined in victory by Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), who becomes the first Indian-American woman and the second black woman to serve in the Senate, as well as Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who becomes the first Thai-American in the Senate.

According to The Washington Post, Cortez Masto served two terms as Nevada's Attorney General. She was heavily endorsed by Reid, as well as Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden.

When asked about the prospect of serving under a Trump presidency, she had this to say: “I will promise you this, I will be one hell of a check and balance on him.”