FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2022
CONTACT: Kaleb Harmon
kaleb@emergeamerica.org
Races to Watch: Emerge Alums Running in Most Competitive Races in Country
Washington, DC—Emerge, the nation’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office, released a list of the Emerge alums running in some of the most competitive and targeted races in the country. Included in these are seven Emerge alums running in DCCC-targeted seats, five in competitive statewide races, and alums running for critical state legislative and local offices across the country. The organization has more than 600 alums on the November 8 ballot and had a 77% win rate in this year’s primaries.
“This year, we aren’t just seeing Emerge women run, we’re seeing them in some of the most important races in our country,” said A’shanti F. Gholar, president of Emerge. “Whether it’s keeping the Democratic majority in Congress, creating new state trifectas, or flipping Republican strongholds blue, Emerge alums are being entrusted by voters to win. And they are. Between their incredible victories in the primaries this year and their strong, powerful campaigns, we know these women will find success in November and look forward to working with them on the campaign trail.”
Emerge alums are running in important midterm elections. Seven are running in DCCC-targeted races:
- Congresswoman Lucy McBath (GA-07)
- Congresswoman Kim Schrier (WA-08)
- Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (VA-07)
- Val Hoyle (OR-04)
- Andrea Salinas (OR-06)
- Jamie McLeod Skinner (OR-05)
- Emilia Sykes (OH-13)
Five are running in competitive statewide general elections:
- Katie Hobbs (AZ Governor)
- Jen Jordan (GA Attorney General)
- Nakita Hemingway (GA Agriculture Commissioner)
- Ellen Spiegel (NV State Controller)
- Kyra Harris Bolden (MI Supreme Court)
And Emerge alums are running in seats critical for flipping targeted state legislatures:
- Judy Schwiebert (AZ HD-02)
- Laura Terech (AZ HD-04)
- Jennifer Pawlik (AZ HD-13)
- Jeanne Casteen (AZ SD-02)
- Christine Marsh (AZ SD-04)
- Eva Burch (AZ SD-09)
- Sue Shink (MI SD-14)
- Anne Marie Mitchell (PA SD-06)
- Jill Dennin (PA SD-24)
- Cathy Spahr (PA HD-160)
- Gwendolyn Stoltz (PA HD-143)
This election is also part of a continuing trend Emerge has seen in women being nominated for pivotal races in 2022.
- In three out of the four states Democrats hope to form new Democratic trifectas, women are the nominee for governor. Three of those states also have women as the majority of Democratic nominees for their state legislatures.
- A majority of competitive Congressional seats have Democratic women as their nominee.
- In 21 states, women make up the majority of Democratic nominees for state legislatures.
- 11 out of 20 competitive gubernatorial and U.S. 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.
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