Women advance toward history in South Dakota, Iowa, and New Mexico primaries — but not Mississippi

Rep. Kristi Noem is likely to become South Dakota first woman governor — (Image credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) is in good position to become South Dakota's first female governor after winning Tuesday's Republican primary against state Attorney General Marty Jackley. Noem is favored against Democrat Billie Sutton, a state senator and former rodeo cowboy.

In New Mexico, former state Democratic Party head Debra Haaland beat two challengers for a shot to become America's first Native American congresswoman, and Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham won the Democratic nomination for New Mexico governor. If Lujan Grisham beats Rep. Steve Pearce (R) in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Susana Martinez (R), New Mexico will become the first state to elect back-to-back female governors.

In Iowa, 28-year-old state legislator Abby Finkenauer won the Democratic nomination to face Rep. Rod Blum (R-Iowa) in the key swing 1st congressional district, and if she wins, she would be the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Iowa is one of six states that has never sent a woman to the U.S. House, The Washington Post's David Weigel notes, and along with Finkenauer, Democrats nominated Cindy Axne to face Rep. David Young (R) in Iowa's 3rd congressional district. Another one of those six states, Mississippi, will keep its record intact: Three Republican women were running for an open seat in the safely red 3rd congressional district, and they came in fourth, fifth, and sixth place.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.