(L-R) Wes Moore (Photo by Monica Morgan/Getty Images), Jennifer McClellan (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images), Aaron Ford (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
From the yard to the ballot box, Divine Nine members showed up big in this year’s elections. Long before election night, our fraternities and sororities were building leaders, mobilizing communities and creating pathways to influence. Now that legacy is showing up in political offices across the country. With names like Wes Moore, Keisha Lance Bottoms, David Crowley and Juliana Stratton in the mix, we’re watching a fundamental shift in Black political representation. The Divine Nine connection to this wave runs deeper than headlines suggest, and it says something important about how communities build power.
David Crowley – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
From Milwaukee’s neighborhoods to countywide leadership, David Crowley made history in 2020 as the first Black Milwaukee County Executive. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Penny Brown Reynolds – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Penny Brown Reynolds made history when she won Georgia’s Secretary of State race. The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. member became the first Divine Nine member to hold the office.
Adrienne Adams – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
New York’s political landscape shifted when Adrienne Adams won the election as lieutenant governor, running alongside incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul. The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. member is now the state’s first Black woman lieutenant governor.
Wes Moore – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore was reelected, solidifying his position as Maryland’s first Black governor. He represents Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Juliana Stratton – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
From Springfield to Washington, Juliana Stratton won Illinois’ 2026 U.S. Senate election. Her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. connection adds another significant milestone for the Divine Nine in national leadership.
Aaron Ford – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Nevada is turning a new page. Aaron Ford won the 2026 gubernatorial election, becoming the state’s first Black governor. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Donna Miller – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Donna Miller, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., won Illinois’ Second Congressional District, bringing her leadership from Cook County to the nation’s capital.
Jennifer McClellan – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Virginia’s congressional representation continues with Jennifer McClellan, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., winning reelection to the U.S. House representing Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District.
Jim Clyburn – Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Jim Clyburn, a proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., won reelection in South Carolina’s Sixth Congressional District.
Frederick Haynes III – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
From the pulpit to Capitol Hill, Frederick Haynes III, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., won Texas’ Thirtieth Congressional District, entering a new chapter of public service.
Janeese Lewis George – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Janeese Lewis George, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., was elected to serve as the mayor of Washington, D.C.
Kweisi Mfume – Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Baltimore’s congressional voice remains in Washington after Kweisi Mfume, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., won reelection in Maryland’s Seventh Congressional District.
Keisha Lance Bottoms – Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Georgia welcomed a significant moment when Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman to win a gubernatorial race in the state and nationwide. She’s a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Hakeem Jeffries – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Hakeem Jeffries, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., won reelection to New York’s Eighth Congressional District, continuing his leadership in the House with potential to become the country’s first Black Speaker of the House.
Tiffany Moore Russell – Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Orange County, Florida welcomed a historic moment with Tiffany Moore Russell, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., becoming the city’s first Black mayor in history.
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