Spanberger and Sherrill were roommates on Capitol Hill. They’re now making history in their states

Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill. AP/Getty Images

Six years ago, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill were roommates and freshmen members of Congress, part of a record-breaking wave of women who helped Democrats win back the US House.

On Tuesday, the two made history once more. CNN projected that Spanberger will be Virginia’s first female governor and Sherrill will be the first Democratic woman elected as governor of New Jersey.

Their wins come at a time when Democrats are navigating difficult questions over who the next leaders of the party should be and what messages will work to win over voters who shifted toward President Donald Trump last year.

Spanberger and Sherrill’s victories offer at least one path forward for Democrats. Both ran aggressively on affordability issu