Will 2018 Bring More Women to Congress?

Roll Call's Simone Pathé
November 6, 2017

Eleven women are leaving the House, three of whom are running for Senate

Women make up a fifth of Congress. Strategists from both parties would like to see that percentage increase in the 2018 midterms, but that’s no guarantee.Eleven women have announced they’re leaving the House at the end of this term, including two Democrats and one Republican who are running for Senate. Arizona Rep. Martha McSally could make it a second Republican if she jumps into the open Arizona Senate race. Three female Democrats are among the top 10 most vulnerable senators.

Both parties have female members who’ve made it their priority to recruit and mentor female candidates. For the first time ever, the National Republican Congressional Committee’s recruitment head is a woman.

But Democrats dominate when it comes to female representation. Of the 21 women in the Senate, 16 are Democrats. Of the 84 voting women in the House, 62 are Democrats.

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