Women Fighting to Maintain Current Levels of Representation in Congressional and Statewide Offices

The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, is sharing key initial results for women candidates for Congress and statewide executive offices in the 2024 elections as they stand on the morning after election day. With numerous races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and statewide executive offices still too close to call, women are fighting to maintain current levels of representation across these offices. While it remains possible that women can exceed current numbers, there is also a significant likelihood that women’s representation will fall as a result of the 2024 elections. However, women have reached a new record high in their share of gubernatorial offices: former Senator Kelly Ayotte (R) has won the race for New Hampshire governor; she will join the current 12 incumbent women governors, none of whom were up for election in 2024, to reach a new record of 13.

CAWP’s full election results post, Results for Women Congressional and Statewide Executive Candidates in Election 2024, will continue to update until all results are finalized. This post contains data on women in this year’s elections with comparisons to previous cycles and records, with data breakdowns for party and race/ethnicity. In addition, our 2024 Election Results Tracker will continue to update with the latest data on women winners of congressional and statewide executive offices.

By the Numbers

• Women in the 119th Congress: Thus far, 125 (88D, 37R) women will serve in the 119th Congress in 2025 (current record: 151, set in 2023). They will be at least 23.4% of all members of Congress. Currently, 151 (107D, 43R, 1Ind) women serve in the U.S. Congress, holding 28.2% of all seats. Forty-five (34D, 11R) women candidates remain in congressional contests that are too close to call. 
• Women in the U.S. Senate: Thus far, 22 (13D, 9R) women will serve in the U.S. Senate in 2025, (current record: 26, first set in 2020). They will be at least 22% of all members of the Senate. Currently, 25 (15D, 9R, 1Ind) serve in the U.S. Senate, holding 25% of all seats. Five (3D, 2R) women candidates remain in U.S. Senate contests that are too close to call.
• Women in the U.S. House: Thus far, 103 (75D, 28R) women will serve in the U.S. House in 2025 (current record: 126, set in 2023). They will be at least 23.7% of all members of the U.S. House. Currently, 126 (92D, 34R) women serve in the U.S. House, holding 29% of all seats. Forty (31D, 9R) women candidates remain in U.S. House contests that are too close to call.
• Women Governors: Thirteen women (8D, 5R) will serve as governors in 2025, marking a new record (previous record: 12, first set in 2023). They will be 26% of all governors in the U.S. Currently, 12 (8D, 4R) women serve as governor, holding 24% of all seats. All gubernatorial contests have been called.
• Women in Statewide Elective Executive Office (including governor): Thus far, 89 (48D, 40R, 1NP) women will serve in statewide elective executive office (including governor) in 2025 (current record: 99, set in 2023). They will be 28.7% of all statewide elective executive officials. Currently, 99 (54D, 43R, 2NP) women serve in statewide elective executive offices, holding 31.9% of these positions. Fifteen (9D, 5R, 1NP) women candidates remain in statewide elective executive contests that are too close to call.

Milestones

• Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) will be the first Black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate from Maryland. 
• Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) will be the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate from Delaware. She is also the first Black woman to represent the state in the Senate.
• With the success of Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester, the U.S. Senate will for the first time have two Black woman senators serving simultaneously. 
• Yassamin Ansari (D, AZ-03) will be the first Middle Eastern/North African woman to represent Arizona in the U.S. Congress.
• Julie Fedorchak (R, ND-AL) will be the first woman to represent North Dakota in the U.S. House. With Fedorchak’s success, just one state still has never sent a woman to the U.S. House: Mississippi.
• Sarah McBride (D, DE-AL) will be the first openly transgender person to serve in the U.S. Congress. She will hold Delaware’s at-large U.S. House seat.
• Thirteen women (8D, 5R) will serve as governors in 2025, marking a new record (previous record: 12, first set in 2023).

For the latest data and information about women in the 2024 elections, visit Results for Women Congressional and Statewide Executive Candidates in Election 2024 and CAWP’s 2024 Election Results Tracker.