A Closer Look

Women and men are political actors with distinct political preferences. These differences – or gender gaps – emerged in the 1980s and have been persistent since then in vote choice, party identification, and presidential performance ratings. In its latest edition of "A Closer Look," CAWP highlights what we know about gender gaps and asks key questions about potential gender differences in voting in 2014.

What's the outlook for women running for the U.S. Senate in 2014 and how does it compare with past years? Find out in the Center for American Women and Politics' (CAWP) latest Closer Look research brief. In its latest edition of "A Closer Look," CAWP reports that with 34 gubernatorial races across the country, 29 women in 18 states have indicated that they are likely candidates. The brief highlights key races, sets the 2014 elections in the context of past records for women candidates, and outlines the importance of having more women senators.

The prospects for electing more women governors will be considerably brighter in 2014 than was the case in 2013, according to a new research brief from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). In this edition of "A Closer Look," CAWP reports that with 36 gubernatorial races across the country, 28 women in 19 states have already indicated that they are likely candidates. In contrast, with just two gubernatorial races in 2013, the lone woman candidate was soundly defeated in New Jersey. The brief highlights key races, sets the 2014 elections in the context of past records for women candidates, and outlines the potential impact of

Despite slight gains in congressional representation in 2012, women make up only 18.3% of the United States Congress. Research points to multiple reasons for women's political underrepresentation, including the need for more women to run. But when women do run, how do they fare?