Measuring Success for Women in 2018

July 3, 2018

How to Measure Success for Women Candidates in Election 2018

We are now more than halfway through the primary season and the results for women candidates are mixed. As the latest CAWP analysis shows, women have broken records and won major party nominations at high rates, but a "surge" in women's political representation after November is not guaranteed. While much of the focus on women running in 2018 has been on the numbers, Gender Watch 2018 experts offer alternative measures for success for women candidates this year.

Read responses from our expert contributors to a single question: How will you be measuring success for women candidates in election 2018?

After you've read these responses, share your own measure(s) of success for women candidates in 2018 on our Facebook or Twitter.

Challenges and Opportunities for Women of Color in 2018

In recent analyses, Gender Watch 2018 experts and contributors look specifically at the challenges and opportunities - as well as the successes - of women of color candidates in election 2018.

Read this conversation between Democratic political consultant and commentator Karen Finney and Gender Watch 2018 expert contributor Dr. Wendy Smooth about Black women in politics.

See the latest analysis of Latinas and success in 2018 from Gender Watch 2018 expert contributor Dr. Christina Bejarano.

Primary Results for Women in Eight More States

The success of congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) dominated news coverage of the June 26th primaries, but see Gender Watch 2018's full analysis of the results for women candidates across Colorado, Maryland, New York, and Oklahoma - which reveals some sites where women's underrepresentation is likely to persist in 2019. Gender Watch 2018 expert contributor Dr. Melissa Deckman provides additional insights into the results in her home state of Maryland.

In case you missed it, Gender Watch 2018 also broke down the election results for women candidates in primaries held on June 12th. Gender Watch 2018 expert contributor Christine Matthews analyzed the results in Virginia's 7th congressional district, where Abigail Spanberger has waged a strong challenge to incumbent Dave Brat.

Next Up:

Other than primary runoff contests, there are no primary elections until August.

August 2 - Tennessee

August 7 - Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington

August 11 - Hawaii

August 14 - Colorado, Minnesota, Vermont

August 21 - Alaska, Wyoming

August 28 - Arizona, Florida

Enjoy your primary-cation everyone!

Expert Analysis

Men and Women Voters' Different Positions on Guns Matter in Midterm Elections

Gender Watch 2018 expert contributor Dr. Rosalyn Cooperman asseses the gender differences in support for gun control and the implications of this gender gap in public opinion for November's general election. Read her analysis here .

A 28-year-old woman just won her primary battle - here's what other millennial women candidates need to know.

Drawing from Barbara Lee Family Foundation research, Gender Watch 2018 expert Amanda Hunter provides tips and tools to millennial women running thisyear. Read more here.