More Democratic women are running for office than ever before
It’s a historic year for women candidates — with a record-breaking number of women on the ballot Tuesday.
The House of Representatives, especially, is due to see an influx of Democratic women — so much so that there could be more women than white men representing that side of the aisle. There’s also a groundbreaking number of women running for governorships across the country, including the first openly transgender woman to do so. And even more women candidates are vying for seats in a number of state legislatures.
If many of these candidates win their races, they could very well contribute to Democratic efforts to retake the House and upend the current makeup of Congress; just 20 percent of the body’s members are women. In states such as South Dakota, Georgia, and Maine, if candidates including Republican Kristi Noem and Democrat Stacey Abrams win their gubernatorial races, they will be the first women to hold these roles. Abrams would also be the first African-American woman governor in American history if she wins.
Reps. Martha McSally, Kyrsten Sinema, and Marsha Blackburn could be the first women to capture Senate seats in races in Arizona and Tennessee as well.
As more women win elected office, they’re expected to not only transform the composition of different government bodies but bring new perspectives that could reshape policy for years to come.
New York US House 14
Rising democratic socialist star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is likely to become the youngest woman elected to Congress
DEM | Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | 100,044 | 78% | |
GOP | Anthony Pappas | 18,000 | 14% | |
OTH | Joseph Crowley (Working Families Party) | 8,505 | 7% | |
OTH | Elizabeth Perri (Conservative Party) | 2,028 | 2% |
Arizona US Senate
Two women vie for an open seat in Arizona — and either winner would make history
DEM | Kyrsten Sinema | 1,180,820 | 50% | |
GOP | Martha McSally | 1,127,144 | 48% | |
GRN | Angela Green | 56,871 | 2% |
Georgia Governor
Stacey Abrams aims to be America's first black woman governor
GOP | Brian Kemp | 1,978,408 | 50% | |
DEM | Stacey Abrams | 1,923,691 | 49% | |
LIB | Ted Metz | 37,236 | 1% |
New Jersey US House 11
Rising Democratic star Mikie Sherrill is a former US Navy helicopter pilot
DEM | Mikie Sherrill | 173,166 | 56% | |
GOP | Jay Webber | 130,585 | 42% | |
OTH | Robert Crook (Honesty Integrity Compassion Party) | 4,657 | 2% | |
LIB | Ryan Martinez | 1,286 | 0% |
South Dakota Governor
Kristi Noem aims to be the first woman governor of South Dakota
GOP | Kristi Noem | 172,894 | 51% | |
DEM | Billie Sutton | 161,416 | 48% | |
LIB | Kurt Evans | 4,844 | 1% |
Minnesota US House 5
Ilhan Omar is a Somali American and aims to be one of the first Muslim women in Congress
DEM | Ilhan Omar | 267,690 | 78% | |
GOP | Jennifer Zielinski | 74,437 | 22% |
Michigan US House 13
Rashida Tlaib aims to be one of the first Muslim women in Congress
DEM | Rashida Tlaib | 163,782 | 85% | |
OTH | Sam Johnson (Working Class Party) | 21,978 | 11% | |
GRN | D. Etta Wilcoxon | 7,903 | 4% |
Nebraska US House 2
Kara Eastman unexpectedly toppled the establishment pick in her primary on a Medicare-for-all platform
GOP | Don Bacon | 152,315 | 53% | |
DEM | Kara Eastman | 134,412 | 47% |
Texas US House 7
Lizzie Pannill Fletcher is one of Democrats' best hopes to make inroads in Texas
DEM | Lizzie Pannill Fletcher | 127,568 | 53% | |
GOP | John Culberson | 115,418 | 47% |
Texas US House 23
Gina Ortiz Jones is an LGBT veteran and Filipino American hoping to knock off moderate Rep. Will Hurd
GOP | Will Hurd | 103,164 | 49% | |
DEM | Gina Ortiz Jones | 102,255 | 49% | |
LIB | Ruben Corvalan | 4,418 | 2% |
Texas US House 31
M.J. Hegar rocketed to stardom after her introductory video highlighting her military service went viral
GOP | John Carter | 144,393 | 51% | |
DEM | Mary Jennings Hegar | 135,843 | 48% | |
LIB | Jason Hope | 4,955 | 2% |
Kentucky US House 6
Amy McGrath knocked off the establishment pick in her primary and hopes to take a district in red Kentucky
GOP | Andy Barr | 154,468 | 51% | |
DEM | Amy McGrath | 144,730 | 48% | |
LIB | Frank Harris | 2,150 | 1% | |
IND | Rikka Wallin | 1,011 | 0% | |
IND | James Cermalio | 0% |
New Mexico Governor
Michelle Lujan Grisham aims to become the state's first Democratic Latina governor
DEM | Michelle Lujan Grisham | 392,215 | 57% | |
GOP | Steve Pearce | 294,875 | 43% |