Diversity Of Candidates Explodes As 2018 Midterms Approach
A diverse congress may be in store for the United States.
By Sophia Qureshi
The Progressive Teen Staff Writer
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S RAMPANT SEXISM AND RACISM HAS YIELDED UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES. A change partly stemming from the current White House denizens demeaning comments towards women and people of color, the political arena in this year’s upcoming midterm election has grown more diverse than ever, specifically along the lines of gender and race. The midterm election is historically seen as an opportunity to hold the nascent administration accountable and candidates from a plethora of backgrounds are intent on forging a position for themselves in this tradition.
Such demographic transformation is sorely needed in the chambers of Congress. Overwhelmingly, the House of Representatives and the Senate are dominated by white, Protestant males. Although they compose approximately half of the United States, women have never made up more than 20% of both chambers of Congress combined. While African-American and Latinx representation in the legislature has reached record highs in 115th Congress, the percentage of minorities in Congress still does not mirror that of the rest of the country. This deficiency of diversity in the legislative branch can have dire implications because the interests of many U.S. citizens are left unrepresented. When it comes to issues like health care, where Congress has the ability to craft legislation that has the potential to save lives, minorities and women already face worse outcomes than their white male counterparts. Obviously, diversity is not a panacea to the challenges that minorities face. However, a more heterogeneous, informed Congress could contribute to the solutions that will better the lives of Americans across the country.
In order to fill this need, women and minorities are responding to the rhetoric of the Trump administration as a call to action and running for office in record numbers. This election cycle, women have competed in 69% of open Democratic primaries. Women have won 90 out of 138 decided open Democratic primaries. While election day will ultimately reveal the membership of the 116th Congress, this wide selection of female candidates on the ballot could result in a higher percentage of women in the legislature. The possibility of success for women is bolstered by the preferences of voters. Preliminary date collected by FiveThirtyEight politics after the primary season reveals that approximately 48% of Democratic voters see a need for women in Congress.
As data from these preliminary votes reveals, women are running in record numbers and voters are selecting female candidates in large percentages. The implications of electing more women to office could be significant. One noteworthy detail is that many of the women running for office are veterans. Democratic women with military service backgrounds serve as unique foils to the Trump administration. For example, Chrissy Houlahan, Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District has highlighted her service background as an integral part of her narrative. Like other female candidates of her background, her military record exhibits a sense of strength and tenacity that Trump’s multiple military deferrals show he lacks. This ethos will help Democrats in Congress improve their image in the public eye and aid them in pushing their agenda.
Furthermore, female candidates may actually be beneficial for Congressional success. Because of what political scientists have dubbed the “Jill Robinson effect,” women are less likely to see themselves as qualified to run for office than men. As a result, congresswomen tend to be more experienced, and therefore more successful in the chamber. Congresswomen are relatively more successful in securing funding for their districts and tend to cosponsor significantly more bills. The current crop of female candidates represents the same level of experience that previous female candidates have possessed, but on a larger scale. The midterm elections could precipitate a slightly more productive Congress as a result.
Although they have not experienced as much success as white female candidates, minorities and LGBTQ candidates are also running at an unprecedented rate. Because of the prevalence of “identity politics,” minorities have historically voted for Democrats. Now, approximately 25% of candidates in Democratic house primaries identify as nonwhites. The number of LGBTQ individuals in Congress, which currently amounts to seven people, could more than double in 2019 due to an increased run rate and higher rate of success than ever before.
On the intersections of identity, candidates have been seeing success as well. Democrats Ilhan Omar of Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan’s 13th Congressional District are both women and minorities. Because of overwhelmingly Democratic districts, they will be the first Muslim women to serve in the U.S. Congress.
Coming January 2019, the U.S. Congress may become a lot more colorful. This diverse composition will not only be a more accurate depiction of the composition of the United States, but it may also bestow increased benefits on the American people.
