The Reality of Running for Governor as a Woman

[niyad]

The Reality of Running for Governor as a Woman
11/2/2022 by Alissa Bombardier Shaw

Nine. Just nine women currently serve as governor in the United States—a “record” first set in 2004 and achieved two additional times, but yet to be broken. In over 200 years that this nation has existed, only 45 women total have been elected as governors—constituting less than 2 percent of all governors that have ever served. Governors play a critical role in creating policies and implementing long-lasting changes at the state level. This year, there are around 25 women running for governor, including Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Sarah Huckabee Sanders in Arkansas.




Why don’t we have more women governors?

The lack of women’s representation in governors’ mansions is not because women are any less qualified. The way in which the U.S. political system is designed creates structural barriers that prevent women from running and winning. One of the biggest obstacles is the incumbency advantage. The current system was designed to protect the power of those already in office. U.S. history and culture has dictated that those incumbents are vastly white and male. Research conducted by RepresentWomen shows that women have the most success at winning an open-seat election.



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Why do we need women governors?

Having more women in gubernatorial positions is a critical step in attaining equality. Increased representation allows for issues that are salient to women to be addressed, shifts the perception of women as incapable leaders and helps to end the cycle that perpetuates male incumbency. Governors, male and female alike, play a crucial role in advancing women’s representation. Governors set the state’s policy agenda, appoint judges and have opportunities to uplift women through their cabinets.

The recent crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic is a great illustration of the necessity of women governors. A study conducted by the Wisconsin School of Business found states with women governors had fewer COVID-19 deaths than states with men governors, due to early stay-at-home orders coupled with women governors expressing greater empathy and confidence in the future.



Demonstrators rally against anti-abortion and voter suppression laws at the Texas State Capitol on October 2, 2021 in Austin, Texas. The Women’s March and other groups organized marches across the country to protest the new abortion law in Texas. (Montinique Monroe / Getty Images)
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https://msmagazine.com/2022/11/02/woman-governor-midterms/