Women of Color Will Win on Election Day

  • Oct 31, 2018
  • Emerge Staff

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 31, 2018

CONTACT: Danielle Noel

202-780-5953; danielle@emergeamerica.org

Washington, D.C. — With less than a week before Election Day, women of color who are on the ballot have momentum to win and have already delivered some of the most important primary victories  for women this year. What’s more, many women of color candidates are running in districts that are majority white, upending misheld assumptions about where they can be successful.

Emerge America, the nation’s premier organization that recruits, trains and provides a powerful network to Democratic women who want to run for office, has supported dozens of women of color candidates nationwide, many of whom will be the first ever to hold their office if elected.

“Our political leaders must reflect the diversity of our democracy, and that starts with electing women of color to office,” said A’shanti F. Gholar, Political Director at Emerge America. “Women of color have long been seen only as voters and not as the political leaders we need to bring America into the future, but that ends now.”

Below are some of the Emerge alumnae who will make history if they win their races in November:

  • In New Mexico, Deb Haaland will be the first Native American woman in Congress if she wins her election in the 1st Congressional District.

  • In Arizona, January Contreras could become the state’s first Latina attorney general.

  • In Arkansas, Gayatri Agnew, who is running to represent District 93,  could be the first Asian American elected to the State House.

  • In Alabama, Miranda Joseph or Cara McClure would be the first Black woman elected to statewide office in Alabama. Joseph is running for State Auditor and McClure is running for Public Service Commission, Place 1.

  • In Kentucky, Nima Kulkarni, a State House candidate for District 40, could become the first Indian-American woman elected to the Kentucky State Legislature and State Senate candidate Denise Gray could become the first Black woman elected to her seat in District 28.

“Women of color have stepped up, competed in tough races, and are ready to serve their communities,” said Gholar. “The idea that women of color can’t win in districts where the majority of voters do not look like them is outdated, and, hopefully this wave of victories will inspire more women of color to run for office at all levels of the ballot.”

With more than 560 women on the Nov. 6 ballot, more than half of the 2018 Emerge candidates are running for Congress, statewide office or state legislatures. More than 60 percent of the Emerge alums on the November ballot are first-time candidates. So far this year, Emerge America has had a primary win-rate of 72 percent and a general election win-rate of 80 percent. Over 500 alumnae are currently serving in elected or appointed office. Emerge currently has affiliates in 25 states, with a presence in 32 states and has trained over 4,000 women to run for office.

For information on Emerge America and to see the list of candidates who will be on the ballot on election day, please visit our website here.

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