As most young politically active people know, this midterm election may be the most important in history. Not just for Republicans and Democrats fighting for the majority in Congress, but specifically for women regardless of party affiliation. This 2018 midterm election has already made history as there is a record-breaking amount of women candidates on the ballot. And not only is there a tremendous amount of white women running, but also an exceeding number of women of color are in the midterm races.
So far there have been 476 women ran in Democratic and Republican primaries for Congress and 219 women have won congressional primaries. In addition, 16 women will be running for governor and, shockingly, there has never been more than 9 female governors at any given time.
This graphic above exhibits how white men, although they still dominant a majority of Congress, are on a steady decline when running for office which makes room for women of all races to compete for those congressional seats. White men only represent 31 percent of the population in the U.S. but they still make-up at least 80 percent of Congress which is why it is important– now more than ever– to elect women on November 6.
Here are some of the women who are running for office in the 2018 midterms. These are just a few of the most influential women in politics. Each woman upholds such importance in the upcoming election as they are trailblazers and could make historic changes to Congress if elected.
Madeleine Dean (D)- P.A. 4th District
Madeleine Dean is a former state legislator and founded the PA SAFE Caucus after the Sandy Hook shooting which is a bi-partisan group of legislators against gun violence. Dean has been endorsed by many well-known politicians such as former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden, in addition to these infamous names, Dean is also endorsed by Planned Parenthood. If Dean or any of the seven other women on the ballot win, then this would break up Pennsylvania’s all-male delegation.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D)- N.Y. 14th District
The 28-year-old activist could become the youngest member in Congress and the first woman in her 20s elected to Congress from either party in American history. Ocasio-Cortez identifies as a socialist who refuses to take Corporate PAC money and pledges her campaign is only funded by real and hard-working people. She believes in healthcare for all, tuition-free higher education and quality employment and campaigns on the idea that all working families, people and communities in the Bronx and Queens deserve justice.
Ilhan Omar (DFL) (D)- MINN. 5th District
Born in Somalia, Omar and her family migrated to the U.S. in 1997 after living in a refugee camp in Kenya for four years. Within her career in politics, Omar became the Assistant Minority Leader at the Minnesota Legislature and the first Somali-American, Muslim legislator in the U.S. Her campaign is based on creating a just immigration system and ensuring environmental justice. If Omar were to win in the 2018 midterm elections, she would break down another barrier and become the first Muslim woman in Congress.
These are the kinds of people Americans need to be voting into the U.S. government, people who represent the actual majority of American citizens- women, immigrants, people of color. A vote for these women or any women running in your state would be a vote for a more representative Congress. For too long the U.S. government has been comprised of only white men, but finally, more women are stepping up to leadership roles and being elected to seats where they need to be. If Congress continues to be all-male, it could mean drastic ramifications for women’s rights without consulting women or letting women have a voice.