In a state that hasn't had a Democrat in office since 1980 and hasn't sent a Black Senator to Washington since the 1870s, Colom's win represents a massive upset in state politics.

A Supreme Court ruling that further weakened the Voting Rights Act paved the way for a record drop in Black representation in Congress. But a midterm blue wave helped hold off such a decline for now.

The text of what lawmakers are considering isn't always made available for public review before it is voted on. A group of open governance advocates is calling on Senate leadership for a change.