Since about the mid-1990s, Democrats have been electing more women to Congress than Republicans, and the difference grows bigger each cycle. This has a lot to do with the supply of candidates — more women identify as Democrats, and the women in the pool of traditionally “qualified” candidates (college-educated, in white-collar professions) are likely to lean Democratic. There’s also the issue of demand — Democrats are more than twice as likely (75 percent to 29 percent) than Republicans to agree that there are too few women in politics.
These supply and demand issues may be mitigated if the Republican Party’s organizational arm and donor class actively recruited, endorsed and financially backed women in primaries for competitive, or safe, red seats in November. This is the playbook Democratic PAC EMILY’s List has been working from for years to elect more Democratic women to Congress and governorships. According to academic researchers, Democratic groups designated to elect more women are more likely to be prioritized by their donors than their Republican counterparts, which helps explain their success.
Although the GOP doesn’t have a heavyweight equivalent to EMILY’s List (which spends millions each cycle), there are groups committed to electing more Republican women to Congress. A couple of prominent new groups (Winning for Women and Elevate PAC) cropped up after the 2018 election, which elected 42 new women to Congress, but only four that were Republican. As a result, in both the 2020 and 2022 cycles, more Republican women ran in primaries than ever before, according to the Center for American Women and Politics.
But more women running doesn’t always translate into more women winning. As we wrote ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, more Democratic than Republican women were nominated to run that year in House and Senate races where their party was either competitive or favored to win. While the GOP may have run and endorsed more women in primaries, it didn’t emulate Democrats’ strategy of actively recruiting women to run in races where they could win in November.
Today, there are just a few non-incumbent Republican women competitive for nominations in races they’d have any shot of winning in November. In Alabama’s 2nd District, an incumbent-less primary due to redistricting, four of the eight Republicans running for the nomination are women. Of those women, attorney Caroleene Dobson has been endorsed by the women-focused VIEW PAC. Neither Trump nor the party committee has endorsed any candidate in that primary, but Dobson faces tough odds winning the crowded primary, and even tougher odds in a general expected to heavily favor Democrats.
11 Republicans are competing in Texas’s 26th District, another race with no incumbent. Of two women in the race, Luisa del Rosal, a small business owner and former congressional chief of staff, has been endorsed by VIEW PAC. But she will have to defeat Trump endorsee Brandon Gill (who’s also endorsed by the Club for Growth). The Republican woman running today with the most likely path to victory is former Rep. Mayra Flores: she’s running to reclaim Texas’s 34th District, the seat she won in a 2022 special election but lost in the general election later that year. She is endorsed by both Trump and VIEW PAC, which bodes well for her to face Democratic incumbent Vicente Gonzalez in a competitive general.
—Meredith Conroy, 538 contributor
Super Tuesday, the day when multiple states hold their primary elections, is always a crucial moment in the race for the White House. In 2024, Super Tuesday will once again play a pivotal role in determining the frontrunners for both the Democratic and Republican parties. With so much at stake, it’s important for voters to stay informed and up to date on the latest developments.
One of the best ways to stay informed on Super Tuesday is to follow real-time updates and expert analysis from reputable news sources. By doing so, voters can get a comprehensive view of how the primary races are unfolding and what it means for the candidates vying for their party’s nomination.
Real-time updates provide voters with the latest information on which candidates are winning key states, how many delegates they are accumulating, and what impact these results may have on the overall race. This information is crucial for voters who want to make an informed decision on which candidate to support.
Expert analysis, on the other hand, offers voters a deeper understanding of the trends and dynamics at play in the primary races. Political analysts can provide insights into why certain candidates are performing well or poorly, what issues are resonating with voters, and how the results of Super Tuesday may shape the rest of the primary season.
In addition to following real-time updates and expert analysis from news sources, voters can also stay informed by following the candidates themselves on social media. Many candidates use platforms like Twitter and Instagram to share updates on their campaign events, speeches, and policy proposals. By following candidates on social media, voters can get a firsthand look at how they are engaging with voters and responding to the results of Super Tuesday.
Overall, staying informed on Super Tuesday is crucial for voters who want to play an active role in shaping the future of their country. By following real-time updates, expert analysis, and candidates on social media, voters can get a comprehensive view of the primary races and make an informed decision on which candidate to support. So be sure to tune in on Super Tuesday 2024 and stay informed on all the latest developments in the race for the White House.
