With an 83% win rate, Emerge women are reshaping the political landscape, flipping deep-red districts and making history at every level of government
WASHINGTON, D.C. — From flipping congressional districts Donald Trump won by more than 20 points, to delivering Democratic trifectas in state legislatures across the country, Emerge women helped power a historic blue wave in Tuesday’s midterm elections. With more than 700 women on the ballot and an 83% win rate in races called so far, Emerge women are proving what happens when we invest in women everywhere and prepare them to win.
Emerge alums have already flipped five U.S. House seats from red to blue, accounting for nearly one-third of the Democratic women who flipped Republican-held congressional seats. They also helped flip nine state legislative chambers, secured historic statewide victories, and shattered barriers to representation across the country. These victories follow a record-breaking election for Emerge, which had 700 women running across 34 states in the largest slate in the organization’s history–a 25% increase from the historic 2018 “Year of the Woman” midterms.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready. At Emerge, we don’t just train women to run. We prepare them to win,” said A’shanti F. Gholar, President and CEO of Emerge. “Last night, our alums flipped congressional districts Donald Trump won by double digits. These were races political insiders had written off, where our women ran with a fraction of their opponents’ resources. But they had the training, the talent, and the determination to win. These victories didn’t happen by accident. They’re what happens when you invest in women and believe in their ability to lead.”
Emerge Women Deliver Historic Congressional Victories
In South Carolina, Emerge alum Dr. Annie Andrews won her U.S. Senate race, becoming the first pediatrician elected to the U.S. Senate and Emerge’s first senator. Her victory marks a historic breakthrough in a state long considered a Republican stronghold.
Emerge women also helped flip five Republican-held U.S. House seats, including districts Donald Trump won by double digits in 2024.
Emerge alums who flipped House seats from red to blue include:
LaKesha Womack (NC-14), who flipped a district Trump won by 16 points in 2024.
Victoria Broderick (TN-04), who won in a district Trump carried by 24 points in 2024.
Sarah Trone Garriott (IA-03), who defeated the Republican incumbent.
Marni von Wilpert (CA-48), who flipped a Republican-held congressional seat.
Shannon Taylor (VA-01), who defeated a longtime Republican incumbent, flipping a seat Republicans had held for decades.
JoAnna Mendoza (AZ-06) is also leading in her race to flip a Republican-held seat, with the race still awaiting a final call.
Across the country, Democratic women accounted for 16 of the 28 Republican-held House seats flipped so far, representing 57% of those victories. Emerge women won five of those 16 seats, accounting for 31% of Democratic women’s red-to-blue House victories.
Emerge’s existing Congressional Caucus of 14 members also has a 100% win rate in races called, including victories by two Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Frontline members, Rep. Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Rep. Emilia Sykes (OH-13).
Emerge projects that its Congressional Caucus will grow to 20 members in the 120th Congress, expanding the organization’s influence in Washington.
Emerge Women Make History in Governors’ Mansions and Statewide Offices
Emerge women also secured historic victories in statewide races, breaking barriers and expanding women’s representation in some of the country’s highest offices.
Deb Haaland won the race for governor of New Mexico, becoming the first Indigenous woman elected governor in American history. Alongside Lieutenant Governor-elect Stephanie Garcia Richard, the pair will become the first all-Emerge ticket to lead a state.
Governor Katie Hobbs won reelection in Arizona, securing another term leading a critical battleground state.
Molly Gray (VT), Stephanie Garcia Richard (NM), and Sarah Godlewski (WI) won their races for lieutenant governor.
Andrea Campbell (MA) and Charity Clark (VT) won reelection as attorney general, while Nicole Cannizzaro (NV) and Jena Griswold (CO) won their races for the office.
Stephanie Thomas (CT) and Sarah Copeland Hanzas (VT) won reelection as secretary of state, while Amanda López Askin (NM) and JoCasta Zamarripa (WI) won their races for the office.
Wisconsin offered a powerful example of Emerge’s commitment to women lifting other women as they climb. When Sarah Godlewski stepped up from secretary of state to run for lieutenant governor, fellow Emerge alum JoCasta Zamarripa ran to succeed her. Both won, and Zamarripa will become the first Latina elected statewide in Wisconsin and the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as Wisconsin’s secretary of state.
Emerge Women Help Flip Nine State Legislative Chambers
Beyond Washington and statewide offices, Emerge women played a pivotal role in transforming the balance of power in state legislatures across the country.
Emerge alums helped Democrats flip nine state legislative chambers in seven states, including victories that delivered new Democratic trifectas, giving the party control of the governorship and both legislative chambers.
Those chambers include:
Arizona House and Senate, delivering a Democratic trifecta
Georgia House
Michigan House, delivering a Democratic trifecta
North Carolina House
Pennsylvania Senate, delivering a Democratic trifecta
Texas House
Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, delivering a Democratic trifecta
These victories will have an enormous impact on the policies shaping Americans’ everyday lives, from reproductive freedom and public education to workers’ rights and economic opportunity.
“For more than two decades, we’ve been building a bench of Democratic women ready to lead at every level of government,” said Gholar. “We knew this moment would come, and we were ready for it. While others were writing off districts and overlooking candidates, we were investing in women who knew their communities and were ready to fight for them. That’s how you flip congressional seats nobody thought could flip. That’s how you win governorships and build Democratic trifectas. And that’s how you build political power that lasts long after Election Day. Emerge women didn’t just ride the blue wave. They helped create it.
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About Emerge
Emerge is the nation’s largest network of women elected officials and candidates. Since 2002, Emerge has recruited, trained, and empowered more than 7,500 Democratic women to run for office and win, with a particular focus on women from the New American Majority. Emerge candidates have consistently achieved a 70% win rate across election cycles, and today, more than 1,200 Emerge alums serve in elected office across the country. Through its comprehensive training programs and national network, Emerge is building a pipeline of Democratic women leaders who are transforming politics at every level of government.