Cara Mund of north dakota won the Miss America pageant, delivering the first crown for the state in the competition’s 96-year history. The 23-year old former Senate intern bested 50 other candidates all over the United States to win the coveted title.

Mund’s triumph

According to Entertainment Weekly, a judging panel that includes “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks, PEOPLE Magazine editor Jess Cagle, singer Thomas Rhett and model Molly Sims adjudged Cara Mund to be the most deserving of the Miss America crown.

Last year’s winner, Savvy Shields, passed on the title live in the Atlantic City event.

The win registered by Cara Mund is the first time North Dakota has ever entered the top five of Miss America, much less win it. Before Mund’s victory, the state’s highest placement is in the top ten, which it was able to achieve three times in 1977, 1989 and 1998.

Miss America is famous for being a scholarship pageant and is notable for the advocacy platform that it gives its winner. They are judged based on multiple categories like talent, lifestyle, evening wear, fitness, and interview. Famous alums of the pageant include multimedia star Vanessa Williams (1984 winner) and former Catwoman (1955 winner).

Candidates go political

Fox News reports that the Miss America pageant took a political turn during the question and answer portion. Cara Mund, for example, said in one of the interviews on stage that it was wrong for the Trump administration to take the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Things got even more political with Miss Missouri and Miss New Jersey as they were asked about allegations that Trump worked with Russia to undermine Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the issues of Confederate status respectively.

Jennifer Davis of Missouri said that she gives Trump the benefit of the doubt right now but that “we should investigate it to its fullest extent.” On the other hand, Kaitlyn Schoeffel of New Jersey suggested moving Confederate statues to museums. Davis and Schoeffel placed 1st and 2nd-runner up respectively.

The most political moment of the night came from Miss Texas Morgana Wood.

She called the death of counter protester Heather Heyer as a “terrorist attack” and criticized Trump for not immediately condemning the tragedy.

Cara Mund, as the winner of this year’s Miss America pageant, will be receiving a six-figure salary along with a $50,000 scholarship.