FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2022
CONTACT: Kaleb Harmon
kaleb@emergeamerica.org
NEW: Emerge Announces More Than 600 Alums on the Ballot in November
Washington, DC—Following a record-setting primary season, Emerge, the nation’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, announced a 77% win rate in 2022 primaries with over 600 alums on the November general election ballot. These women ran at every level, blazed new trails, and won in some of the most competitive primaries in the country. As they face the November 8 election, they are being counted on by Democrats to keep Congress, form new Democratic trifectas, and find success in crucial battleground elections.
“Emerge alums showed their strength on the ballot in this year’s primaries and demonstrated what happens when you empower women to run and give them the tools to win,” said A’shanti F. Gholar, president of Emerge. “When facing tough races, women connect with their communities, speak their truths, and exemplify what a women-led future means–and it resonates with voters. Just as we did in the primaries, women are going to take their unique perspectives and critical skills to the general election and win up and down the ballot and in some of the most crucial races for the future of our rights and our democracy. We look forward to working with our alums as they approach November and seeing them find success in all of their races.”
The success of Emerge alums in 2022 can be felt at all levels of office as they showcase how they’re the right candidates in the right races at the right times. This includes:
- 16 alums running for Congress.
- 15 running for statewide offices.
- Over 200 running for state legislatures across the country.
- A 66% win rate for first-time candidates
- 53% of all Emerge women in the primaries were part of the New American Majority–Black, Brown and Indigenous women and women of color, as well as LGBTQ+, young, and unmarried women.
Emerge alums are also running in some of the most competitive districts and trailblazing races in the country as Democrats and voters are entrusting them to win.
- Seven Emerge alums are in DCCC-targeted seats including: Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), and Congresswomen Abigail Spanberger (VA-07) and Kim Schrier (WA-08).
- Katie Hobbs (AZ-Gov) and Jen Jordan (GA-AG) are running in critical statewide battleground races as Democrats look to these offices to safeguard some of our most fundamental rights.
- Emerge has 50 alums running for state legislature in the four states Democrats are looking to form new trifectas in.
- Emerge alums are running to be “firsts” to hold their seat if elected, including Becca Balint (VT-AL) who would be the first woman and first LGBTQ+ person to represent Vermont in Congress, Stephanie Thomas (CT-Sec. of State) who would be the first Black Secretary of State in Connecticut and Andrea Campbell (MA-AG) who would be Massachusetts’s first Black woman elected statewide.
This election is part of a continuing trend Emerge has seen in women running for office.
- In three out of four states Democrats hope to form new Democratic trifectas in, women are the nominee for governor. Additionally, three of those states have women as the majority of Democratic nominees for their state legislatures.
- A majority of competitive Congressional seats have Democratic women as their nominees.
- In 21 states, women make up the majority of Democratic nominees for state legislatures.
- 11 out of 20 competitive gubernatorial and senate races have Democratic women as their nominee.
- A record number of Black women ran for federal and statewide office while a record number of AANHPI women ran for governor and a record number of Latina women ran for governor and Congress.
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.
For more information on Emerge’s trailblazers and other races of note in the 2022 election, please contact Kaleb Harmon at kaleb@emergeamerica.org.
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