Morning, Rulers! Happy Friday. How are we doing? Between the election and President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet selections, I feel like we’ve had about two months' worth of news within the last two weeks. It’s easy to wonder if we’ve missed some important updates. This week, I talked to experts and elected officials about the historic moments for women in this election cycle. From state ballot measures to history in Congress, I’ve got you covered. Let’s get into it. This election proved to be a mixed bag for women. Overall, fewer women ran for elected office, and Vice President Kamala Harris lost her historic presidential bid against Donald Trump. Still, this election still saw many firsts for women up and down the ballot — even though women candidates largely avoided putting their identities front and center on the campaign trail. “The president has kind of a unique position in our country. And that bar is definitely higher, and it does have a feeling of ‘two steps forward, one step back,’ when it comes down to electing the first woman president,” says Betsy Fischer Martin, the executive director of American University’s Women and Politics Institute. “But,” adds Fischer Martin, “there are plenty of other really positive stories when you think about women in elected office.” This election cycle, 20 percent fewer women ran for office — and data indicates that fewer Republican women won their congressional primaries, according to data from Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. “We had a record number of incumbent women who either retired from office, ran for a different office or lost their primary,” Debbie Walsh, director of CAWP, tells Women Rule. Walsh adds that women had fewer “electoral opportunities” this year in part due to decennial redistricting, a process she says can make races much more competitive. Here’s a breakdown of some of the wins we’re seeing this election season: History in Congress Two Black women — both Democrats — will serve in the Senate together for the first time. In Maryland, Sen.-elect Angela Alsobrooks made history as the first Black woman to represent the state in the Senate. In Delaware, Sen.-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester, who already made history as the state’s first woman and Black person elected to Congress, became the first Black person and the first woman to represent the state in the Senate. “I am proud to represent the people of Delaware in this new role. In addition, we now have two Black women serving in the United States Senate at the same time for the first time in history,” Blunt Rochester tells Women Rule in a statement. “The Senate is an opportunity to bring our lived and professional experiences to the table. As someone who has built my career on creating jobs and economic opportunities for women and working families, I am excited to continue building on this work in the Senate.” Walsh tells Women Rule the election of Alsobrooks and Blunt Rochester helps dispel “an antiquated notion that women of color can only win in places where people of color are a significant minority or the majority.” As Fischer Martin sees it, the women’s victories are examples of what embracing diverse coalitions can do for a candidate. “I think both of those races are examples of those women being able to build a very broad coalition that is made up of a very diverse group,” she says. “Black, white, Hispanic [voters] have seen [Alsobrooks and Blunt Rochester] as the most qualified and most reflective of their positions.” In Washington, Rep.-elect Emily Randall (D) became the first openly LGBTQ+ Latina woman to represent the state in the House. Democratic Rep.-elect Julie Johnson will be the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent Texas in the House. In Delaware, Democratic Rep.-elect Sarah McBride made history as the first openly transgender person elected to Congress. “I take seriously the responsibility of being a first,” McBride tells Women Rule in a statement. “And I know how much this win would have meant to me as a young person as I faced my own crisis of hope and wondered whether the heart of this nation was big enough to love me too.” Annise Parker , President and CEO of the Victory Fund, a national organization that works to elect LGBTQ+ leaders to public office, tells Women Rule that McBride was one of more than 400 candidates across local, state and federal levels the Victory Fund supported. “[McBride] will be the first person to say that she is not a trans member of Congress, but she’s a member of Congress who is also transgender,” Parker says. “That’s the kind of thing that we preach to our candidates. First and foremost, you’re there to represent your constituents, and then you’re there to bring your lived experience so that you can represent that as well.” Parker adds that more LGBTQ+ representation in Congress and down-ballot is essential for policy-making decisions. “Democracy only works when everyone is represented,” she says. “When you’re from marginalized communities, if you’re not in the room, then the conversation is happening without you. … we need [to be in] the room to speak for ourselves.” Republican Rep.-elect Julie Fedorchak made history as the first woman from North Dakota to be sent to the House of Representatives. Mississippi is the only state to have never elected a woman to the House of Representatives. State and local races The election of Republican Kelly Ayotte as governor of New Hampshire means that 13 women will serve as state governors next year. Ayotte’s victory over Democrat Joyce Craig in what was widely considered this year’s most competitive gubernatorial race puts the total number of women governors at 13.
| 
