To Challenge Trump's Anti-Women Agenda, Record Number of Female Candidates Running for House in 2018
Motivated in part by President Donald Trump’s remarks and actions that have been widely preceived as attacks on women, a record number female candidates are running for the U.S. House this year—and the large majority of them are Democrats pushing for policies that aim to improve the lives of American women and families.
An Associated Press analysis published Thursday found that a total of 309 women have filed candidacy papers to run for the House, surpassing the record of 298 that was set in 2012. “Many of the female candidates,” the report notes, “have focused their campaign messages on healthcare, education, early childhood development, family leave, and workplace equality.”
That record-breaking number could grow before the midterm elections in November, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, which found that more than 100 additional women are considering running for a House seat this year.
The center has also found notable interest in Senate and gubernatorial races: 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.
Among the first-time candidates for Congress this year is Kara Eastman, one of two Democrats running to unseat an incumbent Republican representative in Nebraska 2nd Congressional District.
Eastman told the Omaha World-Herald that she decided to run because she believes Trump is leading an “assault” on public education, environmental regulations, and healthcare. She supports Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) Medicare For All bill and is calling for federal legislation to address the national student debt and gun violence crises.
“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, Syracuse University
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