FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2024
CONTACT:
Jessica Delos Reyes, Director of Communications
jess@newamericanleaders.org
719-494-7945
New American Leaders Releases Fact Sheet Analyzing New American Wins and Representation in the 2024 General Election
NEW YORK — While anti-immigrant rhetoric may have dominated coverage of the 2024 General Election, New Americans proved their power at the ballot box with big wins for first- and second-generation American candidates up and down the ballot. New American Leaders (NAL), the only national, nonpartisan 501c3 organization focused on bringing first- and second-generation Americans into the political arena and its sister organization, the New American Leaders Action Fund (NALAF), are proud to celebrate these victories with the release of their 2024 Post-Election Trends Fact Sheet analyzing the performance and trends regarding New American candidates in this year’s election.
This election cycle saw a record 83 NAL program alumni from 17 states running for elected office. Of those, 52 moved on from their primaries to the General Election to post an overall 76% total win rate. Program alumni are those who have completed one of NAL’s signature training programs that empower New Americans to leverage their immigrant background in the political process—their lived experiences, their community connections, and their commitment to American democracy.
Program alumni primarily ran for state legislative seats (lower chamber) (42%). Combined with the 70 New Americans already serving in state legislatures without elections this cycle, the total number of New American state legislators nationwide now stands at 405, accounting for 5.48% of all state legislators. Of the 335 New American candidates for state legislatures, 65.05% secured victories in the General Election.
NALAF (501c4) is committed to building a democracy that truly represents and includes all people—by engaging new voters, supporting New Americans running for office, expanding civic engagement, and reshaping the narrative around New American leadership and the electorate. In this year’s General Election, NALAF endorsed 59 candidates across 15 states with more than half (35) winning their races with one race currently in a runoff election. Since 2018, NALAF has endorsed 233 New American candidates—117 of whom are currently serving.
Of the 59 endorsed candidates in 2024, nearly half of them were first-time candidates (47%) and the majority of candidates (59%) ran for positions in state legislatures (state house and senate) in 12 states across the country.
Some other key findings in the report:
- New American candidates of MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) and Black heritage achieved the highest win rates among all racial and ethnic groups.
- Among the top-five countries of origin by the number of candidates, individuals with Vietnamese heritage led with an impressive 80% win rate.
- Immigrant Generational Differences: Second-generation immigrants outperformed first-generation immigrants, securing victories at higher rates.
- Gender Dynamics: While more New American men ran for office, women New Americans had higher win rates–70.92% win rate compared to 59.23% for men–and remained better represented in state legislatures.
- LGBTQ+ Success: New American candidates identifying as LGBTQ+ achieved an impressive 80.95% win rate, showcasing resilience and strong voter support.
- Incumbents Outperformed Non-Incumbents: New American incumbents had significantly higher success rates compared to non-incumbent candidates.
- Party Differences: Republican New American candidates had lower win rates than their Democratic counterparts.
- State-Level Variations: Win rates varied significantly among states with the most New American candidates. For instance:
- New York led with an 81.25% win rate.
- Florida lagged behind at 52.38%.
- Perfect Records: Four states—Maine, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and West Virginia—saw 100% of their New American candidates win.
Read the entire factsheet here. Please check out the 2024 State of Representation report to explore the 21.96% increase in New American state legislators since 2022, a powerful testament to this community’s growing influence and leadership.
Since its founding in 2010, NAL has trained more than 1,800 New Americans, empowering them to bridge the gap between underrepresented communities and political power. NAL alumni now serve at all levels of government, from school boards to Congress, demonstrating the critical role that diverse voices play in shaping our nation’s future.
If you or someone you know is ready to step into leadership and would like to learn more about our current civic leader trainings, please visit New American Leaders, to begin your journey in shaping an inclusive democracy.
For more information on these newly-elected officials, explore the New American Candidate Database (NACD)—a comprehensive public dataset tracking all New American candidates who ran for state legislative office in the 2024 election cycle.
To stay updated on the growing impact of New American leaders across the country, sign up to learn more about the New American Leaders Action Fund at nalaf.org.
About New American Leaders
New American Leaders (NAL) is the only national, nonpartisan organization dedicated to building a more inclusive democracy by empowering New Americans for public service and expanding civic engagement nationwide.
About New American Leaders Action Fund
New American Leaders Action Fund (NALAF) was launched in 2018 to help build a democracy that represents and includes all people. By supporting New Americans as they run for office, engage voters, expand civic engagement, and conduct original research, NALAF champions leadership that truly reflects the fabric of our nation.
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