The 75th annual Miss USA pageant will take place in Miami on August 27, providing a chance for states to rewrite their records and claim the coveted crown. Some states have had far more success than others at the competition. Texas, with its impressive ten wins, stands out as a powerhouse. California is catching up, having taken the title six times. Other states, however, are still searching for their first Miss USA win.
Texas has won the Miss USA crown an astonishing ten times, a feat that has earned it the nickname "The Texas Aces." The Lone Star State's winning streak spanned five years from 1985 to 1989. Two Miss Texas winners went on to win Miss Universe: Chelsi Smith and R'Bonney Gabriel. Crystle Stewart, also a Miss Texas winner, served as CEO and president of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants from 2020 to 2023.
California, with its six wins, is closing in on Texas's record. The Golden State has won a Miss USA title in every decade except the 2000s. Its most recent win came when Alyssa Campanella took the crown in 2011.
Hawaii, a perennial underdog, assumed its fifth Miss USA title after Miss USA 2023 Noelia Voigt resigned, a first in the pageant's history. The state has produced several notable winners, including Macel Wilson, who became the first Asian American and woman of color to win the crown in 1962. Brook Lee went on to win both Miss USA and Miss Universe.
Michigan is another state with four wins under its belt. Carole Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA crown, while Rima Fakih became the first Arab American woman to take the title. Kenya Moore, a former Miss Michigan, has become one of the most famous contestants in the pageant's history after starring in "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" from 2012 to 2025.
The District of Columbia has had its share of success, with Deshauna Barber winning Miss USA in 2016 and Kra McCullough going on to win the crown the following year. The district is one of only four states to have won back-to-back titles at Miss USA.
Illinois has also taken the Miss USA title four times, but all its wins came before 1975. The state is one of only four to have won back-to-back titles.
New York has the honor of winning the very first Miss USA pageant in 1952. Jackie Loughery, the winner, also represented the USA at the first-ever Miss Universe pageant that same year, placing in the top 10. New York went on to win its third crown in 1995 when Shanna Moakler inherited the title after Chelsi Smith won Miss Universe 1995.
North Carolina has had all four of its wins during the 2000s. The state's most recent win came when Morgan Romano assumed the 2022 crown after R'Bonney Gabriel won America's ninth Miss Universe title.
As the stage is set for the 75th annual Miss USA pageant, these statistics serve as a reminder that some states have had far more success than others. Will we see new winners emerge or will Texas continue to reign supreme? The answer will be revealed on August 27 in Miami.
Written by: Giggle Vex | The Citizen Edition
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