Politics

Republicans See Massive Surge In Female Candidates

Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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Republicans have seen a massive surge in female candidates in the first election cycle following the #metoo movement.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, the number of GOP women running for House seats in 2018 has more than doubled since 2016, from 48 to 103.(RELATED: Women Republican Leaders Seek Ways To Make Voices Heard)

The National Republican Congressional Committee’s (NRCC) press secretary Jesse Hunt explained, “We’ve seen an intense level of interest from Republican women in running for Congress this cycle, and some of the strongest candidates we have running currently are females in competitive districts. It’s a testament to their backgrounds, their careers, and their ability to communicate the Republican message.”

Credit for the increase in female involvement belongs in large part to 33-year-old New York Republican Elise Stefanik. She is also the first woman to spearhead recruitment for the House GOP.

The numbers have changed considerably since April when NBC reported on a number of Republican women who were retiring, and only a 35 percent increase in female Republican candidates.

Republicans still have a long way to go to catch up with Democrats, who have a record-breaking 305 female candidates (including incumbents) running for House seats in 2018.