About Emerge

About Emerge 

Emerge is fundamentally changing the face of politics in this country by breaking down barriers, opening doors, and creating pathways for Democratic women to get involved in politics.

Emerge is the nation’s largest network of women elected officials and candidates. We recruit, train, and connect Democratic women to run for office and win.

We are building a stronger, more representative democracy by opening pathways for women who have too often been shut out of political power. That work is not just about training candidates. It is about building a full pipeline of leadership and the infrastructure to sustain it.

Since 2002, Emerge has trained more than 7,000 women to run for office, and over 1,200 Emerge alums serve in elected office today. Our candidates are winning, with a 77% win rate in 2025, and leading at every level of government across the country.

Our flagship Signature Program provides in-depth, cohort-based training for women preparing to run. We also offer Candidate Boot Camps for women who want to run this election cycle, giving participants practical, skills-based training to launch and strengthen their campaigns quickly and effectively.

Emerge also supports women at every stage of leadership through programs built for candidates, elected officials, and community leaders. Meeting the Moment helps women identify how they can take action and lead in their communities, exactly where they are, during critical moments for our democracy. Seated Together is our advanced leadership program for Black women elected officials, focused on building community, strengthening leadership, and supporting women as they move into higher office. Gavel In prepares women interested in running for judge and navigating the judicial pathway, while our School Board Training equips women with the tools and knowledge to run for and serve on local school boards.

Emerge has expanded to reach all 50 states and U.S. territories through our regional staffing model, allowing us to train more women, strengthen collaboration across regions, and provide stronger, sustained support to our alum network.

Who We Are

Emerge is more than a training program. We are an ecosystem.

We center the New American Majority: Black, Brown, and Indigenous women, women of color, LGBTQ+ women, young women, and unmarried women. These are the leaders who reflect the future of this country, and we are investing in them at scale.

Our goal is clear. By 2035, we will reach 100,000 New American Majority women and continue building a political landscape that reflects the full diversity of our nation.

Our approach is both national and local. We combine a proven, national curriculum with deep, on-the-ground relationships so our alums are prepared to run and lead in their own communities. From school boards to state legislatures to Congress, Emerge women are stepping up and delivering. At every level, we are working to repower political structures by building a pipeline of leaders who better reflect the communities they serve.

But what sets Emerge apart is the network.

Our alums do not operate in isolation. They support each other at every stage, from the first conversation about running to governing in office. They share resources, build coalitions, and show up for one another in real ways. They help each other win, and they help each other lead.

We call it “lift as you climb.”

When one Emerge woman moves forward, she reaches back. That is how we build power. That is how we change who leads.

Learn More About Our Vision

 

Overall, Emerge women have helped:

  • Flip both chambers of the Nevada State Legislature to blue
  • Reclaim Democratic majorities in the Maine and Oregon State Houses
  • Flip the New Mexico and Pennsylvania State Houses to Democratic control
  • Flip the Maine, Connecticut, and Virginia State Senates
  • Establish the first majority-woman state legislature in Nevada
  • Turn the Oregon and New Mexico State Houses to majority-woman
  • End the Republican Supermajority in the Georgia State Senate
  • Create Democratic trifectas in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Michigan
  • Create Democratic supermajorities in the Vermont Senate and California State Legislature

 

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History

In 2002, women made up 22% of state legislatures. In response, a group of women gathered around a coffee table determined to change those numbers and the face of politics. They began by asking women leaders to run for office. Then, they soon realized the need for in-depth training created for and by women. Out of their recruiting and training efforts, a powerful network EMERGED. Today, that network has become a special sisterhood that spans the country and is truly changing the face of leadership across the country and at all levels of elected office.

Why Women?

  • Studies have shown women in elected office overwhelmingly support and push forward democratic principles like equality and fairness. 
  • When women hold public office, they are more actively involved in a variety of gender-salient issue areas, including healthcare, the economy, education, and the environment. 
  • Women legislators are more responsive to constituents, value cooperation over hierarchical power, and find ways to engineer solutions in situations where men have trouble finding common ground.

In recent years, the demand for Emerge’s work has continued to grow across the country. Through our regional staffing model, Emerge has expanded to reach all 50 states and U.S. territories, allowing us to train more women, strengthen collaboration across regions, and build lasting support networks for women leaders nationwide.

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