6 history-making moments for women at the midterm elections
As the dust settles after the 2014 midterm elections and candidates and voters mourn and celebrate losses and wins, it’s worth taking a moment to look at some of the history-making moments for female politicians this time around. While Republicans gained control of the Senate and full control of the House female politicians made some headlines in their own right. In some cases, mother-flipping history was made.
Let’s take a look at the highlight reel:
Mia Love Becomes the First Black Republican Woman in Congress
Love won election in Utah’s 4th District to the House of Representatives. The win makes Love the first black Republican woman ever to serve in Congress. Love had fought for the seat in the election two years ago but had lost to democratic Representative Jim Matheson by a mere 768 votes.
Gina Raimondo Becomes Rhode Island’s First Female Governor
Raimando made Rhode Island history becoming the state’s first female governor. The Democrat made a name for herself in the state by overhauling the pension system and serving as Rhode Island’s general treasurer.
Bonus: All four female governors seeking re-election won their races!
Saira Blair Become the Nation’s Youngest State Legislator
She’s an 18-year-old West Virginian Republican and is serving as an inspiration for politically-minded teenage ladies to dream big. As she says on her campaign site, “This campaign is not about me, it’s about you and about us demonstrating to today’s youth that you don’t have to wait until you’re 40, 50, or 60 to understand the value of conservative principles!”
Fun fact: She defeated the incumbent back in May just days before she graduated high school when she was still too young to vote herself!
Elise Stefanik Becomes the Youngest Woman Ever Elected To Congress
The New York Republican is just 30 years old, and served under President George W. Bush and prepped Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan for his 2012 campaign debates. Stefanik is considered a rising star in the party so there’s a good chance we’ll be hearing a lot more of her name in the future.
Joni Ernst Becomes the First Woman Electeded To Congress From Iowa
The now-Senator is the first woman elected to either chamber of Congress from Iowa. With Ernst’s Iowa win, Mississippi now becomes the only state never to have elected a woman for Congress or the governorship. Ernst is also making history by being the first female combat veteran elected to the Senate.
For The First Time In History, There Are 100 Women in Congress
Eighty female House members and 20 female senators will be represented when the 113th Congress casts its next vote. Unfortunately, this breakdown is due to the results of a special election so the numbers might change once inaugurations happen in January. Still, this is a definite trend in the right direction!
