February 05, 2019
NEWS & NOTES
From the nation's leading source on all things women and politics.
Where Does Your State Fall on the Path to Equality? 
Yesterday was the day that Nevada officially became the first state to have a majority-female legislature. We've also updated the state by state rankings with 2019 numbers; find out how your state measures up, and take a look at the best and worst states for women's representation.

Presidential Watch 
 
We still can't quite believe that the 2020 race is upon us. Five women are currently running for the Democratic nomination, and more announcements may yet come. For the latest news and historical details about women and the presidency, check out our Presidential Watch.  
Ready to Run® NJ: Early Bird Deadline Fast Approaching 
Hurry, before it's too late! February 11th is the last day to receive a reduced registration rate for Ready to Run New Jersey. This is a can't-miss event, where you'll learn everything you wanted to know about launching your campaign, staying on message, asking for money, and communicating with the media. If you are not quite ready to run but want to advocate for policy issues or seek an appointed position on a board or commission, Track 2 will meet your needs. Get more details and register now.
 
 
If you live outside New Jersey, check out the National Network page to find a program near you. Upcoming February programs include Ready to Run® Iowa and Ready to Run®  Philadelphia - don't miss them!
  If you love knowing CAWP is committed to political equality,
be sure to send us a Valentine's gift of $25 or $50 today!  
  
Disappointed Because You Missed It?
Couldn't make it to New Brunswick last week for the fascinating conversation between Brittney Cooper and Rebecca Traister on the political power of women's anger? No worries; we've got you covered. You can watch the conversation here.
 




 
Politics, Power, and Pelosi
 As we prepare for the State of the Union this week, all eyes are on the power dynamic between the president and the speaker of the House. Writing for The New York Times , Sheryl Gay Stolberg quoted several political strategists on both sides of the aisle who all seemed to agree that Nancy Pelosi is a powerful woman who consistently flummoxes Trump. Ezra Klein explains in Vox that the shutdown conclusion was a clear vindication of Pelosi just weeks after questions arose about whether she should get the speaker role again. 

SOTU
Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacy Abrams will give the Democratic response to the president's remarks tonight. A rising star after losing in a very tight race, Democrats are now urging her to run for the Senate. Noting that the "voters Ms. Abrams represents - young, diverse and female - won the party control of the House in the 2018 midterm elections," Lisa Lerer points out in The New York Times that Abrams will be the first Black woman ever to deliver the rebuttal.

This New Normal Feels Pretty Great, Despite the Challenges
As of today, at least five women are running for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 race. Mattie Kahn writes in Glamour about how remarkable it is that "[having multiple women run in the] 2020 battle feels so obvious. Routine. Sublime, spectacular, triumphant-but also  normal ." The Associated Press took a look at the "wonderful challenge" many women's rights advocates face with choosing a favorite in a crowded field. Janet Hook of the Los Angeles Times wrote that multiple women in a race provides the opportunity for women to test different campaign strategies and run on their own terms, citing CAWP's Kelly Dittmar. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Times ' Robin Abcarian examines the frustrating side of the situation, pointing out that more women in the race means grappling with even more sexist double standards . Sabrina Siddiqui writes in The Guardian that the gender-biased "likeability" question persists even as women make history.
 
Still More Work to Do
 Record numbers of women won seats in state legislatures around the country this year, but women still hold a small number of leadership positions in statehouses, writes David Lieb for the Associated Press , citing CAWP director Debbie Walsh. Walsh points out that leadership change takes time: "...it just totally makes sense, given how people obtain those leadership positions. It's a process, and it's not going to turn around in one election cycle with a bunch of new folks at the table."
 
WBUR covered Nevada's history-making turn this week when the state officially became the first to have a state legislature where women outnumber men, with CAWP's Dittmar pointing out that "getting to 50 percent in any one place is something significant. At the same point, this is one legislature out of 50. So we still have a lot of progress left to make across the country."
 
Building the Bench
Roll Call reports that Congresswoman Debra Haaland (D-NM) has hired a majority-minority team  to run her office, fulfilling a campaign promise to hire a diverse staff, and early data shows that more freshman members are hiring top staffers of color than their predecessors. As part of the rules package adopted earlier this month, the House will establish an Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which will collect data on staff demographics and develop a diversity plan.
 
Taking an Honest Look at the Suffrage Movement
 Celebrations and commemorations are planned for the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage next year. But honoring the movement and the women behind it means confronting the movement's shortcomings and current failures to address those shortcomings. Ginia Bellafante writes in  The New York Times about a planned statue in Central Park honoring women's suffrage that appears to erase the role of Black women in the movement. Her colleague Brent Staples writes about Black women who were on the forefront of the suffrage movement and continued to work tirelessly for the rights of women of color after many white women claimed victory in 1920.
CAWP Calendar

Center for American Women and Politics
Eagleton Institute of Politics
Rutgers University | New Brunswick
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