How We Wrapped 2022

Our virtual wrap party on Thursday, December 15th was a smash success! A fantastic crowd came together to celebrate the quantum leap California women made in the 2022 election cycle. We were honored to be joined by so many of Close the Gap’s founding mothers, steadfast supporters, and hardworking Lead Recruiters, allies, and volunteers from all around the state. It takes a village to close the gap, and this village knows how to close it!

Here are a few highlights from the many phenomenal women who joined us, starting with just a few of our newly elected Class of 2022 legislators:

Asm. Gail Pellerin (top left, Santa Cruz) shouted it from the Zoom rooftop: “I’m a Close the Gap Recruit. And I really would not be elected today if it weren’t for people like Mary Hughes, Jackie Wheeler and Susannah Delano, who gave me that big push to do this… I’m beyond excited and very proud to be the first woman from Santa Cruz County elected to a state office.”

Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (top right, South Los Angeles) is already hard at work to “fortify women in this economy-” but “it could not have happened without you all reaching out and calling networks.” The Senator highlighted a critical need to keep up the pressure in order to ensure representation is equitable at all levels, and she’s right on: “I don’t love that title of being the only black woman in the California State Senate. We’ve got work to do to make sure that women are getting from parity to equity in the State Legislature.”

Asm. Pilar Schiavo (bottom left, Santa Clarita), the only new Dem in the state to defeat a GOP incumbent, delighted us by dropping in to lift up the role our community played in her path, mentioning that CTG’s 2021 Sacramento Symposium was the first event she attended as she began to promote herself publicly as a prospective candidate. Fun sisterhood fact: Asm. Schiavo and Andrea Rosenthal met at that same event, as fellow prospective candidates– and today, Andrea serves proudly as District Director with Team Schiavo as they work to pursue real solutions to homelessness, ensure good jobs and health care, and so much more.

Sen. Aisha Wahab (bottom right, Hayward) recalled the impact that an August 2020 call from CTG Founder Mary Hughes made to look at running for SD 10 in 2022. The CTG team had “done their homework” and conveyed confidence that her strong values commitment could be a winning fit for the district. As the first Afghan American, first Muslim, and only renter in the State Senate, Sen. Wahab is already hard at work pursuing greater equity in housing and far beyond!

Between elected speakers, our new Deputy Director Tisa Rodriguez moderated a star-studded panel, offering a unique set of insights on the historic impact women made in the 2022 election cycle:

• Our big moment of celebration: If current results in other states hold, California is set to jump from 23rd in the nation for women’s representation in 2022, to near the top ten in 2023!
• The pipeline is the future, and the future is female: An astounding 18 female first-time candidates were on the ballot in Orange County, and they won- even in the reddest parts of the county!
• Labor women drive values shift in the Legislature: Progressive power grew this cycle, and several fierce women with Labor backgrounds- Asms. Liz Ortega and Pilar Schiavo, and Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas- are a big part of why!
• On the ground experience: Recognizing the intersections between gender, race, economic status, reproductive health and more — especially in conversations with voters in Michigan, California and beyond- were integral to winning initiatives, building power, and ensuring that candidates reflect their communities.

A hearty thank you to our panelists: CTG Senior Political Consultant Rose Kapolczynski, Chair of the OC Democratic Party and UNITE HERE Local 11 Co-President Ada Briceño, Director of the California Working Families Party and CTG Board Member Jane Kim, T’alyce Murray with Michigan’s Promote the Vote & Yes on Prop 2, and our fearless leader Susannah Delano!

So what’s next? CTG ED Susannah closed our Wrap Party by reminding us to “center and prioritize diverse women because results like we saw this year do not happen on their own.” Right now, we’re 10 women away from achieving gender parity. And with 50+ seats opening up between 2024 and 2028, we’re ready to keep the momentum strong by recruiting for every single winnable seat.

Close the Gap California is committed to building on progressive women’s historic momentum by recruiting them statewide and achieving equality in California by 2028. Join us!

About Close the Gap California

Close the Gap California (CTG) is a statewide campaign to close the gender gap in the California Legislature by 2028. By recruiting accomplished, progressive women in targeted districts and preparing them to launch competitive campaigns, CTG has been changing the face of the Legislature one cycle at a time since launch in 2013.

Twenty CTG Recruits (14 of them women of color) are serving in Sacramento today. CTG Recruits are committed to reproductive freedom, public school funding, and combating poverty.