More All-Woman Races and Potential Milestones

Primary elections were held yesterday in Virginia, with additional run-off primary contests featuring women candidates in Alabama and Georgia. The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, is tracking results for women candidates in these races. Full results are available on the Election Analysis page on the CAWP website. Complete context about women in the 2022 elections, including candidate lists, summaries, and historical comparisons, is available via CAWP's Election Watch.

Among the most notable results for women:

• All 3 (3D) incumbent women in Virginia’s U.S. House delegation will advance to the general election, with 2 (2D) – Representatives Luria (VA-02) and Spanberger (VA-07) – being challenged by Republican women nominees – State Senator Jen Kiggans (VA-02) and Yesli Vega (VA-07) – in contests currently deemed toss ups by Cook Political Report. Learn more about all-woman congressional and gubernatorial races this year and historically at this fact sheet.
• Two (1D, 1R) women nominees for the U.S. House in Virginia could make history in November. If elected, Republican nominee Yesli Vega (R, VA-07) will be the first Latina to represent Virginia in Congress and Democratic nominee Taysha DeVaughan (D, VA-09) will be the first Native American woman to represent Virginia in Congress. All women who have represented Virginia in Congress to date have been white.
• Katie Britt (R) won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Alabama and is favored to win in November. If successful, Britt will be the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama. Two (2D) women have previously served in the U.S. Senate from Alabama via appointment.
• In Alabama, Yolanda Flowers won the Democratic nomination for governor to challenge incumbent Governor Kay Ivey (R) in a contest currently rated as "Solid Republican" by Cook Political Report. Flowers is the third Black woman to be a major-party nominee for governor in the U.S. If successful in November, she will be the first Black woman elected statewide in Alabama and the first Black woman governor in the U.S.
• In Georgia, State Representative Bee Nguyen (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger (R). If successful in November, Nguyen will be the first Asian American woman elected statewide in Georgia. Janice Laws Robinson (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Insurance Commissioner John King (R). If successful in November, she will be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia. All women who have served in statewide office in Georgia to date have been white.

For more information, see the full analysis of how women fared in yesterday's contests on our Election Analysis page. Complete context about women in the 2022 elections can be found on CAWP's Election Watch.