UPDATE: Women's March Into Office Slows

Although women represent the majority of votes in major elections, they only hold 1 out of every 6 elected Federal positions and 1 out of every 4 elected State positions. Debbie Walsh, Director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, a NCRW member center, observes, “We’ve hit a plateau.” Although Hillary Clinton could be elected President in 2008, and Nancy Pelosi is in little danger of losing her Speaker of the House title, several other women governors, senators, and congresswomen are at risk of losing their positions in the next election.

This plateau has occurred for a number of reasons, according to experts. Several of the major issues ruling the 2008 elections, including Iraq, national security, and immigration, are issues that have traditionally been gendered “masculine,” and therefore, women candidates are not perceived as desirable or capable. Research by political scientist Jennifer Lawless at Brown University shows that women are less likely than men to enter into competitive races, and women are even less likely to enter into the race when opposing another woman. Despite women’s reluctance to run for office, however, Lawless’ research shows that women candidates are as likely to win as men.

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