Structural Barriers Keep Women Underrepresented in US Congress Ahead of Midterms

Although women comprise approximately 51% of the US population, they hold just 28.4% of seats in Congress, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Despite this disparity, the current Congress features a historic high of 152 women across the House and Senate, and 28% of the nation’s governors are also women.

Kelly Dittmar, director of research at CAWP, identifies several structural factors contributing to this gap. “There are rules and processes in place in our political system that make it harder for any newcomers to break in,” Dittmar said, noting that women have historically been newcomers to politics. Senate seats are up for election only every six years, while House members serve two-year terms and face no term limits, often allowing incumbents to remain in office for decades.

Financial barriers also play a significant role. US campaigns are costly, and women have traditionally had less access to wealthy donor networks, which remain male-dominated. Additionally, established male politicians frequently recruit other men to run, and cultural stereotypes about women’s roles persist.

The upcoming midterms on November 3 will determine the balance of power. All 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are contested, along with gubernatorial races in 36 states.

In the House, female Democrats outnumber female Republicans by a ratio of roughly three to one. There are currently 95 women representing Democrats and 30 representing Republicans. Dittmar points out that the Republican Party lacks a robust support infrastructure for female candidates, as most recruitment and training organizations are either Democratic or nonpartisan.

“A lot of the Republican party leaders don’t see an electoral incentive or pressure to recruit more women,” Dittmar explained. She added that Democratic voters tend to place higher value on diversity, including seeing women in office.

Currently, Republicans control the House majority and its leadership positions, including the Speakership held by Mike Johnson. Nancy Pelosi remains the only woman to have served as Speaker, holding the post from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023.

The Senate presents even higher barriers. With 27% of its members being women, the upper chamber requires candidates to represent entire states, making campaigns more expensive. Dittmar describes the Senate as an “opportunity and timing issue,” with only a third of seats available every two years.

This cycle could see history made if Democrat Peggy Flanagan wins her Senate race in Minnesota. The Ojibwe lieutenant governor leads Republican former sports reporter Michele Tafoya in polls. A victory would make Flanagan the first Native American woman in the US Senate.

In gubernatorial races, ten of the 14 current female governors are Democrats. For the first time, a Black woman could become a state governor. In Minnesota, Democrat Tim Walz is not seeking reelection, opening the race to former Senator Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa DeMuth. Dittmar views Minnesota as leaning Democratic.

In Georgia, however, the race is considered a toss-up. Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms is vying for the governorship, backed by former President Barack Obama, while Republican Rick Jackson has the support of President Donald Trump. Dittmar believes Bottoms “absolutely has a chance to be the first Black woman governor.”