History was made last week when the Republican Party made unprecedented gains in the midterm elections to take control of the US Congress, but it was also a huge victory for women in government! Women in both parties, (and of all ages!), are proving that they can make a difference through bipartisan politics. Be sure to look out for these fierce politicians as they take their offices next year:
Mia Love (R) – Mia Love is the first African-American, female Republican to be elected to Congress, where she will represent the state of Utah. Some view her election as the beginning of the diversification of the primarily white, male Republican Party. However, during a recent interview with CNN, Love argued that she wasn’t elected because of her race or gender, but because of her “positive, issue-oriented campaign.”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) – As the only woman in history to be elected both a governor and a US senator, Jeanne Shaheen won a remarkably close senate race in New Hampshire against the former Senator of Massachusetts. She is the only swing-state Democratic senator to win re-election, making her one of the very, very few victories that Democrats can boast from the past week.
Joni Ernst (R) – Joni Ernst will be the first female senator for the state of Iowa, as well as the first female veteran in the history of the US Senate. Her campaign was surrounded by controversy, both in terms of expense as well as a commercial that highlighted her skills in pig castration. Unfortunately, this talent does not seem to be her priority in Washington, though it would make for very interesting Congressional sessions.
Gina Raimondo (D) – A self-labeled “bold progressive,” Gina Raimondo has been elected the second female Governor in the Democratic Party, as well as the first female governor for the state of Rhode Island. The governor, a Harvard, Oxford, and Yale graduate, worked in law and venture capital before beginning her career in politics.
Sara Blair (R) – A note-worthy victory for both women and college-age millennials comes in the form of Sara Blair, an 18-year-old West Virginia native who will become the youngest state lawmaker in the history of the US. She won her election by campaigning out of her college dorm room, making college students everywhere feel completely inadequate.
While the election marked a record-breaking victory, some view the clear Republican triumph as a dark omen for the future of women’s rights. It is important now more than ever that women politicians, (as well as voters), do their part to fight for gender equality. As female representation grows, it’s clear that girls have very real potential to make a huge impact in politics.
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