US midterms: Women candidates could make history
The US is holding Congress and state governors elections. At all levels of US politics, women are underrepresented — but they may win some historic victories in the midterms on November 3.
The United States recently held midterm elections, and women candidates could potentially break historic barriers. Currently, women hold 28.4% of the seats in the US Congress, a number higher than any other in the nation's history. There are also more female governors than ever before, with 14 of the 50 states being led by women, or 28% of governors.
However, several factors continue to hinder more women from entering the US Congress. Political structure, expense of campaigns, lack of access to wealthy donors, and cultural biases all play a role. The midterms on November 3 will determine if the number of women in Congress increases or decreases. Currently, 125 of the 435 House seats are held by women, with the majority being Democrats.
The Senate has 16 women senators, with the first Native American woman, Peggy Flanagan, potentially becoming a senator if she wins in Minnesota. In Georgia, Black Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms may become the first Black woman governor. These historic elections will have a significant impact on the representation of women in the US government.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
