There are a record number of women running for political office and winning major party nominations. Just this week, Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley soared past 10-term Representative Michael Capuano in the Democratic primary. Without a Republican challenger for the House seat on the ballot, Pressley is on her way to becoming Massachusetts’ first African-American congresswoman.
Pressley is hardly alone in her fight as a female campaigning for office this November. In 2018, 61 women have run for governor and 252 women, both Democrat and Republican, have scored major-party nominations for congressional seats, according to the Center for Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
Keep a close watch on the candidates below during this historic election season – you just may hear their names again.
Stacey Abrams (D)
State: Georgia
Race: Governor
Platform takeaways: Three central tenets of Abrams' campaign include raising “bold, ambitious children” by investing in public education, diversifying Georgia’s economy, and ending the pattern of “punish and penalize” in the criminal justice system.
Can you believe that… Abrams has already made history this year as the first African-American woman to ever win a major-party nomination for governor. If she wins, she will become the country’s first African-American female governor.
Gina Ortiz Jones (D)
State: Texas
Race: Representative for the 23rd Congressional District
Platform takeaways: Ortiz Jones is championing responsible immigration reform, accessible and affordable healthcare, and standing up for veterans’ rights in Congress.
Can you believe that… If she wins, Ortiz Jones will be the first out-lesbian and Filipina-American to represent Texas in Congress. She’ll also be the first woman to represent her district. Did I mention she’s an Iraq War veteran too?
Paulette Jordan (D)
State: Idaho
Race: Governor
Platform takeaways: Paulette’s priorities include Medicaid expansion, building an in-state medical school, a state-wide universal pre-school program and protecting Idaho’s land.
Can you believe that… She’s the first woman to win the Democratic Party’s gubernatorial nomination in Idaho. And if she wins, Jordan will become the nation’s first Native American governor.
Rashida Tlaib (D)
State: Michigan
Race: Representative for the 13th Congressional District
Platform takeaways: Tlaib is campaigning to end wage discrimination, increase public school funding and overturn President Trump’s travel ban.
Can you believe that… since Tlaib is running unopposed for her House seat, she is set to become the first Muslim woman elected to Congress.
Christine Hallquist (D)
State: Vermont
Race: Governor
Platform takeaways: If elected, Hallquist plans to grow Vermont’s rural job market, take a stand as a leader against climate change and collaborate with other states to develop a plan for universal health care.
Can you believe that… Hallquist is the nation’s first openly transgender candidate to win a major-party nomination for governor. If she wins, she will become the first transgender governor in the United States.
Kristi Noem (R)
State: South Dakota
Race: Governor
Platform takeaways: U.S. Rep Kristi Noem, who has won four terms in Congress, recognizes that her state’s economy is falling behind and wants to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses there. Additionally, she plans to create a blueprint for agricultural economic development if elected. She is also a vocal opponent against human trafficking and supports the Second Amendment.
Can you believe that… Noem is on her way to becoming South Dakota’s first female governor.
Regardless of the outcome, diverse American women have made history this year. Be sure to check out other female candidates running for office in your state today. November 6th will be here before you know it.
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