Focusing on health care, education and wage equality, a record number of female candidates have joined the race for the United States House of Representatives in 2018. A majority of the candidates are Democrats, who are focusing their campaigns on improving the lives of women and their families across the United States.
“Many of the female candidates have focused their campaign messages on healthcare, education, early childhood development, family leave, and workplace equality,” an Associated Press analysis stated.
A majority of the female candidates said their motivation is in part over Donald Trump and the Republican policies.
With a total of 309 females who have filed candidacy papers to run for the House, it surpasses the record of 298 set in 2012, according to an Associated Press analysis.
“It’s about time,” Kara Eastman of Nebraska, a Democrat running to represent the district centered in Omaha, said.
And many consider the number of female candidates will continue to rise before the midterm elections in November, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, in which it’s noted that close to 100 additional females are still considering joining the race. Also the center revealed notable interest in Senate and gubernatorial races, Common Dreams reported that 29 women are running for Senate seats so far, and there are 28 other potential candidates; 40 women running to serve as governor of their states, with another 39 potential candidates.
“If young women see other women running for political office, it can create the perception that this is not just possible, but also normal, appropriate, and important,” Makana Chock, an associate professor of communications at Syracuse University, said.
While the record-breaking number of female candidates are still outnumbered by male candidates, the Associated Press reported, experts still believe that 2018 is the best opportunity for women to gain in terms of representation.
Currently, there are 40 female candidates running for governor and 29 running for U.S. Senate, but with filing deadlines still open in most states, the total number of female candidates is said to grow.
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