FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2020
CONTACT
Allison Abney
Allison@emegeamerica.org
Washington, DC–Today, Emerge, the premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for local, state, and federal office, announced that more than 640 of their alumnae are on the ballot on November 3. This continues Emerge’s cycle-over-cycle growth of candidates at all levels of the ballot.
“Women are stepping up to lead, and they are doing it from school board to state house to Congress,” said A’shanti F. Gholar, President of Emerge. “Black, Indigenous, Latina, LGBTQ+ women, women under 40, moms and veterans are refusing to be ignored or sidelined, and taking their activism and community involvement to a new level by running for office.”
There are more than 500,000 elected offices in the country, and women, especially women of color, continue to be under represented. According to the Center for American Women in Politics, women make up less than 30% of Congress, state legislatures, and top municipal leadership positions.
“Emerge women are running and winning, and creating a culture where women pull each other up when they succeed, ” said Gholar. “This is how you build lasting power and is the change Americans are demanding from their elected leaders.”
Emerge has trained more than 4,000 women, more than 700 currently hold office. More than 780 Emerge alumnae filed to run at the beginning of the 2020 election cycle.
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