All this work to get women elected, and whoosh, in one night, not only have women taken over electoral politics, Republican women have instantly claimed center stage. At least that’s the impression left by the talking heads on cable teevee last night and in the morning headlines. There’s only one problem. It’s not so. The truth is, women candidates are still such a rarity in U.S. politics, that when a women runs, and especially when a woman wins, it’s like a giraffe walking down Main Street – heads are going to turn, and everyone expects there’s a herd nearby.
Yes, last night, there were significant victories by women, but before you put up your door-knocking shoes, consider some of the not-so-thrilling stats Jennifer Lawless provides in her article, “No New Dawn for Women in Politics:”
- 83% of the members of the United States Congress are men.
- 75%+ of all State Legslators are men (more than 80% here in Georgia).
- Only 6 states call a woman “Governor.”
On the issue of whether Republican women are riding a Palin-powered wave of success, Lawless says to consider this:
- 69% of all female state legislators are Democrats
- Since 1989, while the #’s of Democratic women in state legislatures have increased, the number of Republican woman have decreased.
Plus, while more Republican women may be running this cycle than ever before, Georgia appears to be bucking that trend as well with 83 Democratic women seeking state level office compared to only 30 Repbulican women. In a chamber dominated by Republicans, there are fewer Republican women running for the Georgia Senate than there are Democratic women currently serving. And, it looks more and more like Karen Handel will have plenty of time on her hands post-primary.
My point? If you think that more great progressive, Democratic women ought to be elected in Georgia, don’t let last night’s results fool you. There’s still lots of work to do! Pick a great woman, get involved in her campaign, and help her get elected. You won’t be sorry.
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