The Trailblazing Women Of The US Midterms

Tuesday’s midterm elections in the United States saw a record 117 women win office, 96 of those in the House of Representatives alone. 100 of these women are Democrats, while 17 are Republicans. Many were historic victories for women of colour and LGBT-identifying women, proving that 2018 is truly the ‘Year of the Woman’. With a record number of women on the ballot, many supposed that women became empowered to run in reaction to the election of US President Donald Trump and the significance of the #MeToo movement. Either way, it’s now obvious that voters have a growing appetite for more diverse leadership. The midterms saw a historically large voter turnout, with record numbers of female and youth votes contributing to the success of female candidates. Once sworn in next year, women will still only make up around 20 per cent of Congress. However, the improvement of female representation in US government has significant ramifications not only for policy-making, but will likely encourage more women to run for office in the future. Here’s your guide to the history-making women of the US midterms and the issues they stand for.