Since the U.S. Congress first convened on March 4, 1789, there have been 12,249 members of the Senate and House of Representatives. Only 2 percent have been women. In a country where women make up over 50 percent of the population, this should not be the case. With this November’s pivotal midterm elections, however, things are set change. America, it’s time for a PINK WAVE!
A historic number of women are running for elected office in Congress this year. A grand total of 53 women ran in the Senate primaries, and 476 ran for House seats. 256 women have qualified for the November ballot in either House (234) or Senate (22) races. Women have also clinched 11 major party nominations in gubernatorial races this cycle. On top of everything, there is a surge in female voter turnout. Women want their voices to be heard.
Women of color, who have historically been underrepresented in national office according to a study from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University, are also running in unprecedented numbers. Nearly 50 black women are running for congressional seats, and the study by CAWP shows that among female Democratic candidates, women of color are proportionately represented in the 2018 midterm field.
After becoming the first black woman in U.S. history to be nominated by a major party for governor, Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams could also become America’s first black female governor. Vermont could have the country's first transgender governor if Christine Hallquist is victorious in November. The nation could potentially see its first Native American governor, Paulette Jordan of Idaho.
The women running for elected office are much more experienced than their male counterparts, especially those female candidates running for Senate, House, and gubernatorial seats. For example, 56 percent of women running for governor across all fifty states have previously held elected office, whereas only 37 percent of men running for governor have. With regard to the Senate, 80 percent of female candidates have previous experience in government, but only 22 percent of men do.
The surge of women running for office can be traced back to the election of Donald Trump. The bulk of these female candidates are galvanized by Trump’s inappropriate behavior. Trump's election and inauguration kicked off a nationwide movement among progressive women. In a show of solidarity, they took to the streets by the millions in January 2017 bearing protest signs.
The women running for office in 2018 are passionate, qualified, and ready to do battle against attacks on accessible healthcare, reproductive rights, immigration, and citizenship. Some are driven by the slew of scandals that have rocked the White House, which include allegations of domestic and sexual abuse as well as misconduct perpetrated by former staff secretary Rob Porter and Donald Trump himself. These women want change, and they’re already bringing their zeal and savvy to the table.
For centuries, American women have been underrepresented on all levels of U.S. government. One election cycle isn’t going to change that completely, but we’re off to a great start in 2018. Women from all different backgrounds, states, communities, and perspectives are running for office, and it is our job as voters to help them win. This November, every single women over the age of 18 who can vote needs to vote. America, it’s time for a #PINKWAVE.
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