Democrats aim to elect 100 women to House as party eyes control of Congress in US midterms

Democratic Party is aiming for a historic milestone: electing at least 100 women to the House of Representatives.

As Democrats look to wrest control of Congress from Republicans in the November midterm elections, the party is also aiming for a historic milestone: electing at least 100 women to the House of Representatives. With women candidates contesting several key races that could determine control of the House, Democratic leaders believe they could have as many as 113 women in their ranks next year if the party performs strongly in competitive districts, The New York Times reported. “I’m incredibly confident that we will pass that 100 mark,” Representative Teresa Leger Fernández of New Mexico, chairwoman of the Democratic Women’s Caucus, told the newspaper. Democrats currently have 97 women in the House, accounting for around 45 per cent of their caucus. Reaching 100 would set a new record for the party. In the 1980s, women made up less than 5 per cent of House Democrats.

Women candidates central to Democrats’ midterm strategy

Democrats have placed women candidates at the centre of their campaign to regain the House majority. According to The New York Times, 18 of the 40 Democrats in the party’s “Red to Blue” programme, which backs candidates challenging Republicans in competitive districts, are women. More than a dozen women are contesting closely fought races, while several are considered strong contenders to flip Republican-held seats. Fernández said women would help Democrats win a majority both by winning congressional seats and by voting for Democratic candidates. “Women are going to give Democrats the majority in two ways,” she said, adding that women and Latinos had been among the groups hardest hit by Republican policies. If Democrats regain control of the House, women lawmakers are expected to push issues including childcare and elder care.

Republicans lag in women’s representation

Republicans currently have 32 women in the House, including two nonvoting delegates, accounting for around 15 per cent of their members. Their numbers could decline further if vulnerable Republican women lose their seats in November. Political observers say greater female representation could influence debates on gender discrimination, sexual harassment and violence against women. Kelly Dittmar, a political science professor at Rutgers University, told The New York Times that increased representation could also change how political institutions function. For Democrats, the midterms offer an opportunity to challenge Republican control while increasing women’s representation in Congress. Whether they reach the 100-member milestone will depend on the outcome of competitive races in November.