Emerge Alums Win Big on First Major Primary Night of 2022

  • May 18, 2022
  • Emerge Staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2022

CONTACT: Kaleb Harmon
kaleb@emergeamerica.org

Emerge Alums Win Big on First Major Primary Night of 2022

Washington, DC—Emerge, the nation’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, announced major victories following Tuesday’s primaries in Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. The organization had more than 90 alums on the ballot and, out of the 79 races that have been called, 63 alums won their primaries—an 80% win rate. More than 100 Emerge alums from these states, including 38 alums with no primary, will go on to the general election in November, representing the unique backgrounds, experiences, and identities from their communities.

Tuesday’s victories continue a trend of excitement for women on the ballot in 2022. At Emerge, the organization already saw 40 alums win their elections this spring and 18 win their primaries. Nationwide, women are also running at unprecedented rates up and down the ballot including a record number of women running for statewide offices, a historic number of Black women running for Senate, and the six Black women who are seeking to become the first Black woman governor in the country. These milestones represent both a continued surge in women leaders stepping forward and the continued strength of the political pipeline built to ensure the success of women candidates in 2022 and beyond.

“Yesterday’s primaries confirm what we already know–the movement of Democratic women running for office is still going strong,” said A’shanti F. Gholar, president of Emerge. “Last night’s victories underscore both the desire from women to lead their communities and the desire from the public to see more women in office. When women are elected, they bring new representation to our decision making bodies, which leads to more legislation and policies that benefit everyone–something that is sorely needed right now. I’m looking forward to seeing these women in the November election and celebrating their wins.”

Alums who won in Tuesday’s primaries include:

  • Jasmine Beach-Ferrara – Running for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District
  • Oregon Board of Labor and Industry Commissioner Val Hoyle – Running for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District
  • Yvette De La Guardia – Running for District Judge, Jefferson County, KY, Division 4
  • Rianna Czech – Running for Pennsylvania State Senate, District 50

Emerge has trained more than 5,000 alums since 2002 and currently has more than 1,000 alums in elected office across the country. The organization is committed to reaching 100,000 women of the New American Majority over the next 15 years, fostering a lift as you climb culture for women in politics, and repowering political structures. There are currently 27 state affiliates, and the organization has impacted a total of 45 states, Washington, D.C. and territories.

###