Topline
There will be at least 131 women in the next Congress — with 25 races still too close to call — setting a record that surpasses the one set in 2019, when 127 were elected, according to a report from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ilhan Abdullahi Omar (D-Minn.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) ... [+]
Key Facts
The number includes as many as 106 women in the House and 25 in the Senate, representing 24.4% and 25% of all members respectively.
Of the women elected so far, 83 Democrats and 23 Republicans will serve in the House and 17 Democrats and eight Republicans will be in the Senate.
There will be at least 43 women of color in the House and four in the Senate, one fewer than in 2019.
Women currently hold 23.2% of House seats and make up 26% of the Senate.
Key Background
In 2020, 583 women ran for House seats — 227 Republicans and 356 Democrats — according to a Center for American Women and Politics report. The number increased by nearly 23% from the record 476 women who ran in 2018. A historic 60 women ran for U.S. Senate, a 13.2% increase from the record 53 in 2018. Women ended up achieving a number of “firsts” and historic wins this year, including Missouri’s first Black congresswoman and the first Korean American elected to Congress as well as New Mexico becoming the first state to elect all women of color to the House.
Tangent
There will be at least 89 women in statewide elected positions in 2021, including nine governors. Women will hold at least 28.7% of the positions on this level, down slightly from 28.9% currently. There are currently six undecided races with women candidates.
Further Reading
Results: Women Candidates in the 2020 Elections (Center for American Women and Politics)
What You Need to Know About the Record Numbers of Women Candidates in 2020 (Center for American Women and Politics)
The ‘Firsts’ Of The U.S. 2020 Election (Forbes)
Delaware Elects First Openly Trans U.S. State Senator (Forbes)
