A new one Miss USA has been crowned.
Mrs. Virginia Justus Kelley was named the winner of the 75th Miss USA pageant Thursday at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, becoming Virginia’s first winner since 1970. She was crowned by Miss USA 2025 Audrey Eckert.
Kelley, 31, is a foster mother of two, founder of a nonprofit organization and author of children’s books. She is also the first married woman, the first mother and the first woman in her 30s to win Miss USA. The parade was only beginning to allow it married women and mothers to compete in 2023, and 2024 was the first year that all women 18 and older were eligible. The previous cut-off age was 28 years.
Kelley will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November.
A historical spectacle
Miss Virginia 2026 Justus Kelley. Thanks to Miss USA
Fifty-one women competed for Miss USA crown, who competed in swimsuit, evening gown and interview rounds during the preliminary competition earlier this week in Miami.
The top 20 took part in a swimsuit round on stage, while the top 10 also took part in an evening gown round.
Those who made the top five were asked to answer a final question. For Kelley, that question was: “For 75 years, Miss USA has reflected the changing face of American women. If you become the 75th Miss USA, what do you hope your year will say about the women of America today?”
“We are here tonight to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Miss USA, but we also have the opportunity to make history tonight,” Kelley responded. “I’m 31 years old, I’m married to my college sweetheart of nine years, and we are proud foster parents of two adorable siblings who absolutely have my heart.”
“What my year as Miss USA would mean and look like is no longer a question of choosing between our ambitious careers, our families and our wildest dreams,” she continued. “I stand on this stage embracing every part of who I am, and I believe I can be your next Miss USA.”
She addressed her historic victory at a press conference after the election, saying it was “a huge honor.”
“I take this as a responsibility to know that I was trusted to be the first,” she said of being the first mother and married woman to win the title, adding that she “will not be the last.”
Kelley, a big fan of thrifting, also dressed in second-hand clothes for the pageant.
“I went into the competition weekend with a sparse wardrobe for each stage,” she said. “I loved one of my first US state pageants, when I walked in with a very special suit that I found at Goodwill, and as soon as I walked in, the judges said, ‘Oh, you look beautiful,’ and I said, ‘Thanks, $9.99 at Goodwill.'”
Although she fell in love with the thrill of “the hunt” while saving, she said she realized it was a way to show people that you “don’t have to spend a million dollars” to be on the pageant stage.
A new category, a new judge
Miss Virginia Justus Kelley is crowned Miss USA 2026 with Miss Florida Aileen Cerchiara. Ivan Apfel/Getty Images
This year, Miss USA contestants were also judged based on a brand new category called “commercial appeal,” which evaluated how they could attract sponsorship.
“When it comes to commercial appeal, Miss USA not only has to look great wearing that crown, she also has to make the rest of the world want to work with the woman wearing it,” Miss USA host and actor Ian Ziering said of the category during the live show.
Ziering’s co-host, Miss USA 1993 Kenya Moore, added that the pageant “emphasized” the winner’s “ability to connect with a camera, with major brands, with beauty campaigns and more” by adding the new criteria.
The “commercial appeal” was judged based on a portfolio of non-pageant photos submitted to this year’s judges, who attended all rounds of the competition, including the preliminary rounds.
Miss USA announced this on Tuesday Instagram page that the public would also have a say in the top 10 during the final. “Your vote can have a real impact on who progresses,” the Instagram caption read.
Fans watching from home were given twelve minutes to cast their votes on a website. They were combined with the judges’ scores, although it was unclear how much weight the fans’ votes carried. By the end of the 12 minutes, Miss Montana was in the lead, but she did not make the top 10.
A new government
Miss Virginia Justus Kelley is the first married woman and mother to be crowned Miss USA. Ivan Apfel/Getty Images
Miss USA has undergone several changes after several tumultuous years. The pageant has had three different leaders since 2020, amid scandals manipulate accusations, lawsuitsAnd queens who renounced their crowns.
The final show of the year was originally set to air on The CW, but as Business Insider first reported: the network dropped Miss USA and the Miss Teen USA finals are scheduled to take place on August 20.
“After careful consideration and discussions with the Miss USA Organization, The CW Network has decided to forgo broadcasts of next week’s Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants,” a network spokesperson said in a statement.
In an Instagram Story posted the same day, the Miss USA organization said it had identified a “contractual issue with our production arrangements that could not be resolved within the necessary time frame.”
“Since then, our team has been working diligently to explore options that would allow us to continue with a live broadcast on The CW,” it added. “Unfortunately, we were unable to reach mutually acceptable terms for this year’s event.”
The final match for both pageants was streamed live on the Queen Beauty Network, a streaming service focused on the pageant industry, as it was in 2025.
