Collection
The Electability Myth
Through rigorous vetting and campaigning, political candidates need to convince the electorate they can actually win the offices they’re aiming to capture. For women, the term “electability” has taken on a different meaning — and often cloaks long-held sexist views toward women and their ability to lead.
In This Collection
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How many of your state’s lawmakers are women? If you live in the Southeast, it could be just 1 in 5
A record number of women were elected to statehouses last year. But in the Southeast, representation is lagging as lawmakers pass bills like near-total abortion bans.
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Mayra Flores’ victory set a record for women in Congress. It also reflects the growing visibility of Republican Latinas
The rapid gains Republican women have made since 2018 could be a signal for how the party fares in this year’s midterms
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Stepping in after tragedy: How political wives became widow lawmakers
Since the early 20th century, women have filled seats in Congress left vacant by the death of their partners. If Jennifer Carnahan in Minnesota wins her race this week, she could be the 49th.
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Do term limits help women candidates? New York could be a new testing ground
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her support last week for term limits for statewide offices, including her job. Some political organizers and academic experts see a potential ripple effect.
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Girls are being socialized to lose political ambition — and it starts younger than we realized
New research shows that as girls age, they’re conditioned to lose interest and ambition in politics. The opposite happens for boys.
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Kathy Hochul’s rise in New York spotlights the barriers to women becoming governors
"I want by the end of my administration, for every woman to say there are no barriers, there is no longer a ceiling."
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How ranked-choice voting elevates women and people of color seeking office
The New York City mayoral race is the latest example of how an election system that gives voters the option to choose multiple candidates can change the dynamics of campaigning and shatter electability myths.
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This candidate says she quit Twitter because of online harassment
Sara Lind plans to focus on in-person campaigning between now and her June primary for a seat on the New York City Council. “I don’t need to be here in order to run a successful campaign.”
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Despite historic 2020 gains, LGBTQ+ candidates faced homophobic attacks
This year’s rainbow wave came with a wave of backlash that left some LGBTQ+ people wondering if it’s worth running at all.
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Kamala Harris applauds Biden’s “audacity to choose a Black woman to be his running mate”
In Harris’s first interview since becoming Biden’s vice presidential pick, she spoke about voter access, how the pandemic has exacerbated inequities and how a Biden-Harris campaign will prioritize marginalized communities.