Attendees speak with chairs of Political Parity and panelists after conversation on “Republican Women and the GOP Gender Gap.” (Ashley Gilmore/MNS)
WASHINGTON— Republican women have more difficulty getting elected to Congress than Democrats, although gender parity remains a problem for both parties, panelists said at an event on Wednesday.
Democratic women make up 30 percent of their party’s elected senators and House members on Capitol Hill.; Republican women make up just 8 percent of their party’s members, according to Political Parity, a non-partisan group dedicated to increasing the number of women serving in government.
“It’s very hard to buck your party when [you] are only 8 percent,” said Political Parity Chairwoman Swanee Hunt, who was ambassador to Austria in President Bill Clinton’s administration.
Political Parity’s director, Marnie Allen, said women still make up less than one-fifth of Congress while females account for more than half of the U.S. population.
“The primary reason for this is the primary election,” said Allen of the political struggles of GOP women.
Three hurdles keep women from entering and succeeding in Republican primaries: infrastructure, inattention and ideology, according to Political Parity.
What matters in primaries is early money, dollars that women in the Republican Party find hard to come by – a financial infrastructure.
“Female GOP candidates really struggle because the sources they can tap into are seriously fragmented,” said Allen.
While Democrats rely on organizations such as EMILY’s List, which provide financial resources to pro-abortion rights candidates, few Republicans have similar help in primaries.
Aggressive recruiting, development of financial structure support teams, and adding mentorship programs are things panelist Matt Walter of the Republican State leadership Committee says are needed to level the playing field.
Political Parity said the Republican Party leadership does not prioritize or pay enough attention to potential female candidates, nor can it shake the perception that women are generally more liberal than men.
“There is still a lingering perception that women are more moderate,” said panelist Nicole McCleskey a partner in Political Parity.
Some people still cling to beliefs that women are more emotional than men, more likely to compromise, and have to prove themselves — all of which can work against female candidates in primaries.
“The fear of putting yourself out there, knowing that women are treated differently in the public eye…it’s also harder for women to raise money.” Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., said in a statement. Money and image are obstacles all women generally face in deciding whether to run, Rice said. “That’s why the most important thing we can do to get more women into office is to support each other… and build the political infrastructure we need to level the playing field.”
That said, a woman, first-term Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, gave the Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech Tuesday night.
