Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The GOP and Women

Great update from Boston Phoenix reporter/blogger David S. Bernstein on Republican women in office. It's a three part set of posts, and I recommend all of it, but the bottom line is that the GOP continues to move away from supporting female candidates:
Women currently make up 14% of GOP governors (3 of 22). The party is likely to increase its total share of governors, but probably the same number of women

Women currently make up 10% of GOP Senators (4 of 40). The party is likely to end this cycle with as many, or perhaps more Senators, but probably the same number of women.

Women currently make up just under 10% of GOP US Representatives (17 of 177). The party is likely to end this cycle with quite a few more members of Congress, but probably the same number of women, or perhaps one or two more.
Interesting, although it's worth adding a bit of caution (as David does) that it's still early enough that new candidates could emerge.

(Disclosure: I'm not sure exactly who this David S. Bernstein is -- there are just so many David Bernsteins out there -- but I heard a rumor that this one can't hit a wiffle-ball knuckle-curve to save his life in backyard games, or at least he couldn't when we were a little younger).

1 comment:

  1. Rick Davis from the McCain campaign was on campus here at Wake Forest a couple of weeks ago and really bemoaned the fact that there are so few women working their way up through the Republican Party.

    A couple of notes from his remarks:
    1) He really wanted to jump on board with Elizabeth Dole in 2000, but upon seeing some of the same weaknesses from the Bob Dole presidential campaign in 1996 rearing their ugly heads, he ended up with McCain.

    2) He said that McCain was the one who brought up the idea of trying to find a female VP candidate. Davis went on to say that they looked everywhere, not just in politics, for someone that had the right mix they were looking for. He mentioned the business world, but didn't name any names. I help but think that Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman got at least some consideration.

    It was interesting. You and your readers can read more about his visit here and here.

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