Kansas Sweep and Missouri Upset Make for a Good Primary Night for Democratic Women

Congressional and statewide primaries were held on Tuesday in five states: Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington. Due to the reliance on mail-in voting, many races remain too close to call, so this post will be updated as results are determined. Full context about women in the 2020 elections, including candidate lists, summaries, results from previous primaries, and historical comparisons, are available via the Center for American Women and Politics’ Election Watch page.

Among the most notable results for women thus far:

• Cori Bush (D) defeated incumbent Representative Lacy Clay (D) in the Democratic primary. She is favored to win in November and would become the first woman of color and first Black woman to represent Missouri in the U.S. Congress. Including Bush, women are 5 of 6 Democratic House nominees in Missouri this year.  
• All five Democratic congressional (U.S. House and U.S. Senate) nominees from Kansas are women, including U.S. Senate candidate Barbara Bollier (D) and U.S. House candidate Michelle De La Isla (D, KS-02), who are nominees in competitive open-seat contests this fall. In Kansas’ 3^rd congressional district, Representative Sharice Davids (D) will be challenged by Amanda Adkins (R) in a competitive all-woman contest.
• Hiral Tipirneni (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge Representative David Schweikert (R) in Arizona’s 6^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report. If successful, Tipirneni would be the first woman of color to represent Arizona in the U.S. Congress.
• Lisa McClain (R) won the Republican nomination and Kimberly Bizon (D) won the Democratic nomination to set up an all-woman general-election contest in Michigan’s 10^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
• As of yesterday, there is now a new record for all-woman general-election congressional contests. In 2020, there are 38 such contests, including 34 House races and 3 Senate races. The previous record for all-woman congressional races was 33, set in 2018. See here for additional information about all-woman races in 2020 and historically.

Arizona

Kansas

Michigan

Missouri

Washington

Arizona

U.S. Senate

On Tuesday, Senator Martha McSally (R) secured the Republican nomination for November’s general-election U.S. Senate contest in Arizona. The winner will serve the remainder of the term of former Senator John McCain (R), which will end in 2022. McSally will be challenged by Democratic nominee Mark Kelly. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Democratic” by Cook Political Report.

Arizona is one of 6 states currently represented by two women in the U.S. Senate. Both women – Senators McSally (R) and Sinema (D) – have served in the U.S. Senate since 2019. 

U.S. House

Women are currently 2 (1D, 1R) of 9 members of the Arizona delegation to the U.S. House (22.2%).

Women are 6 (4D, 2R) of 18 (33.3%) major-party nominees already selected for U.S. House in Arizona, including 4 of 9 (44.4%) Democrats and 2 of 9 (22.2%) Republicans. 4 (3D, 1R) women House candidates were unsuccessful in their primary bids for the U.S. House.

• Both (1D, 1R) of Arizona’s incumbent women House members are nominees for re-election.
  
  • Representative Ann Kirkpatrick (D) won the Democratic nomination for re-election in Arizona’s 2^nd congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report.
  • Representative Debbie Lesko (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary for re-election in Arizona’s 8^th congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
• 3 (3D, 1R) women will run as challengers to incumbents in November, and 1 (1R) woman challenger remains in a contest that is too close to call.
  
  • Hiral Tipirneni (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge Representative David Schweikert (R) in Arizona’s 6^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report. Tipirneni was the House Democratic nominee in Arizona’s 8^th congressional district in 2018, where she was defeated by incumbent Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ).
  • Tiffany Shedd (R) won the Democratic nomination to challenge Representative Tom O'Halleran (D) in Arizona's 1st congressional district. This contest is current rated as “Lean Democratic” by Cook Political Report. Shedd also ran, but was unsuccessful, for the Republican nomination in this district in 2018.
  • 2 (2D) more Democratic women – Delina DiSanto (D, AZ-04) and Joan Green (D, AZ-05) – are nominees in districts that strongly favor the Republican incumbents.

Of the 6 (4D, 4R) women who are already selected as major-party nominees for the U.S. House from Arizona, 1 (D) is a woman of color. Hiral Tipirneni (D, AZ-06), who is South Asian, would be the first woman of color to represent Arizona in the U.S. Congress.

Statewide Elected Executive Offices

Women currently hold 5 (3D, 2R) of 11 statewide elected executive offices in Arizona (45.5%). Just three of those offices – three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission – are up for election in 2020.

Women are 3 (2D, 1R) of 5 major-party nominees for corporation commission.

• Incumbent Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson (R) has advanced to the general election. She was first appointed to her position in 2019.
• 2 (2D) more women – Shea Stanfield (D) and Anna Tovar (D) – will compete for the open seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Of the 3 (2D, 1R) women nominees for statewide elected executive office, 2 (1D, 1R) are Latinas: Lea Marquez Peterson (R) and Anna Tovar (D). Commissioner Lea Marquez Peterson (R) is the first and only Latina serving in statewide executive office in Arizona.

Kansas

U.S. Senate

On Tuesday, Kansas State Senator Barbara Bollier (D) secured the Democratic nomination for Kansas’ open-seat U.S. Senate contest. Bollier, who changed her party affiliation from Republican to Democrat in December 2018, will face Roger Marshall (R) in November. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Two (2R) women have served in the U.S. Senate from Kansas: Sheila Frahm (1996) and Nancy Kassebaum (1978-1997). No woman has served in the U.S. Senate from Kansas since 1997.

U.S. House

There is currently 1 (1D) woman in the four-member Kansas delegation to the U.S. House (25%).

Women are 5 (4D, 1R) of 8 (62.5%) major-party nominees already selected for U.S. House in Kansas, including 4 of 4 (100%) Democrats and 1 of 4 (25%) Republicans. There are 3 (1D, 2R) women candidates who were unsuccessful in their primary bids for the U.S. House.

• Incumbent Representative Sharice Davids (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary in Kansas’ 3^rd congressional district. She will be challenged by Amanda Adkins (R) in an all-woman contest in November. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Democratic” by Cook Political Report.
• Kali Barnett won the Democratic nomination for the open U.S. House seat in Kansas’ 1^st congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
• Michelle de la Isla (D), Mayor of Topeka, won the Democratic nomination in Kansas’ 2^nd congressional district. This contest was rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report going into Tuesday’s primary election in which incumbent Representative Steve Watkins (R) was defeated by a primary challenger.
• 2 (1D, 1R) women will run as challengers to incumbents in November.
  
  • Amanda Adkins (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Representative Sharice Davids (D) in an all-woman contest in Kansas’ 3^rd congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Democratic” by Cook Political Report.
  • Laura Lombard (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Ron Estes (R) in Kansas’ 4^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 5 (4D, 1R) women selected as major-party nominees for the U.S. House from Kansas, 2 (2D) are women of color, including Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS01) – who is Native American – and Michelle De La Isla (D-KS02) – who identifies as Latina, Black, and white.

Michigan

U.S. Senate

No women candidates filed to challenge incumbent Senator Gary Peters (D) this year. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D), who is the only woman who has represented Michigan in the U.S. Senate (2001 to present), is not up for re-election this year.

U.S. House

Women are currently 5 (5D) of 14 members of the Michigan delegation to the U.S. House (35.7%).

Women are 9 (8D, 1R) of 28 (32.1%) major-party nominees already selected for U.S. House in Michigan, including 8 of 14 (57.1%) Democrats and 1 of 14 (7.1%) Republicans. 11 (4D, 7R) women House candidates were unsuccessful in their primary bids for the U.S. House.

• All 5 (5D) incumbent women representatives have secured nomination for re-election this year, including 2 (2D) incumbent women in competitive general-election contests.
  
  • Representative Haley Stevens (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 11^th congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Lean Democratic” by Cook Political Report.
  • Representative Elissa Slotkin (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 8^th congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Lean Democratic” by Cook Political Report.
• 3 (2D, 1R) women are nominees in open-seat House contests.
  
  • Hillary Scholten (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary in Michigan’s 3^rd congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Kimberly Bizon (D) won the Democratic nomination and Lisa McClain (R) won the Republican nomination to set up an all-woman general-election contest in Michigan’s 10^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
• 1 (1D) woman will run as a challenger in November. 
  
  • Gretchen Driskell (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Tim Walberg (R) in Michigan’s 7^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 9 (8D, 1R) women who are already selected as major-party nominees for the U.S. House from Michigan, 2 (2D) are women of color. Incumbent Representative Brenda Lawrence (D) is Black and incumbent Representative Rashida Tlaib is Middle Eastern. 

Missouri

U.S. House

Currently, women are 2 (2R) of 8 members of the Missouri delegation to the U.S. House (25%).

Women are 9 (7D, 2R) of 16 (56.3%) major-party nominees already selected for U.S. House in Missouri, including 7 of 8 (87.5%) Democrats and 2 of 8 (25%) Republicans. 8 (3D, 5R) women House candidates were unsuccessful in their primary bids for the U.S. House.

• Both (2R) incumbent representatives are nominees for re-election this year.
  
  • Representative Ann Wagner was unopposed in the Republican primary in Missouri’s 2^nd congressional district. She will be challenged by Democratic nominee Jill Schupp (D) in an all-woman contest. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Representative Vicki Hartzler (R) won the Republican nomination for re-election in Missouri’s 4^th congressional district. She will face Democratic nominee Lindsey Simmons (D) in an all-woman contest that is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
• Cori Bush (D) defeated incumbent Representative Lacy Clay (D) in the Democratic primary in Missouri’s 1^st congressional district. She will now face Anthony Rogers in an open-seat contest in November in a district currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report. If elected in November, Bush will be the first Black woman and the first woman of color to represent Missouri in the U.S. Congress. Bush is a rebound candidate who ran for and lost the Democratic nomination in MO-01 by nearly 20 points in the 2018 election.  
• 6 (6D) women will run as challengers to incumbents in November.
  
  • Jill Schupp (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Ann Wagner (R) in Missouri’s 2^nd congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Lindsey Simmons (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Vicki Hartzler (R) in Missouri’s 4^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Teresa Montseny (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Billy Long (R) in Missouri’s 7^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Kathy Ellis (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Jason Smith (R) in Missouri’s 8^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 9 (7D, 2R) women who are already selected as major-party nominees for the U.S. House from Missouri, 3 (3D) are women of color, including Cori Bush (D, MO-01) and Gena Ross (D, MO-06) – who are Black – and Teresa Montseny (D, MO-07) – who identifies as multiracial. No woman of color has represented Missouri in the U.S. Congress.

Statewide Executive Offices

Women currently hold 1 of 6 statewide elected executive offices in Missouri (16.7%). All but one statewide office is up for election this year.

Women are 3 (3D) of 10 (30%) major-party nominees for statewide executive offices in Missouri, including 3 of 5 (60%) Democrats and 0 of 5 (0%) Republicans.

• Current State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D) won the Democratic nomination for Governor of Missouri. She will challenge incumbent Governor Mike Parson (R) in a contest currently rated as “Likely Republican” by Cook Political Report. If elected, Galloway would be the first woman governor of Missouri.
• Alissia Canady (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe (R).
• Vicki Englund (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick (R) this fall. If successful, she would be the third woman to serve as Missouri State Treasurer.

Of the 3 (3D) women nominees for statewide executive office, Alissia Canady (D) – who is Black – is the only woman of color. No woman of color has ever been elected statewide in Missouri.

Washington

U.S. House

Currently, women are 5 (3D, 2R) of 10 members of the Washington delegation to the U.S. House (50%).

Women are 9 (6D, 3R) of 20 (45%) of U.S House candidates that have already advanced to the general election in Washington, including 6 of 11 (54.5%) Democrats and 3 of 9 (33.3%) Republicans who have already advanced. This year, 7 (3D, 4R) women House candidates were unsuccessful in their primary bids for the U.S. House.

• All 5 (3D, 2R) incumbent women representatives advanced to the general election for re-election this year.
  
  • Representative Suzan DelBene (D) advanced to the general election in her bid for re-election in Washington’s 1^st congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report.  
  • Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) advanced to the general election in her bid for re-election in Washington’s 3^rd congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report. Herrera Beutler is currently the only Republican woman of color in the U.S. House.
  • Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) advanced to the general election in her bid for re-election in Washington’s 5^th congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Representative Pramila Jayapal (D) advanced to the general election in her bid for re-election in Washington’s 7^th congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report.
  • Representative Kim Schrier (D) advanced to the general election in her bid for re-election in Washington’s 8^th congressional district. Her re-election contest is currently rated as “Likely Democratic” by Cook Political Report.
• Marilyn Strickland (D) and Beth Doglio (D) will advance to the general election in the open-seat contest in Washington’s 10th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report. 
• 2 (1D, 1R) women will run as challengers to incumbents in November. 
  
  • Carolyn Long (D) advanced to the general election to challenge incumbent Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) in Washington’s 3^rd congressional district. Long was Herrera Beutler’s general-election opponent in 2018 and lost by 5.4 points. This contest is currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Elizabeth Kreiselmaier (R) advanced to the general election to challenge incumbent Representative Derek Kilmer (D) in Washington’s 6^th congressional district. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 8 (5D, 3R) women House candidates advancing to the general election in Washington, 3 (2D, 1R) are women of color, including current Representatives Jayapal (D, WA-07) – who is South Asian - and Herrera Beutler (R, WA-03) – who is Latina. If elected in November, Marilyn Strickland (D, WA-10) would be the first Black woman to represent Washington in the U.S. Congress.

Statewide Elected Executive Offices

Women currently hold 3 (2D, 1R) of 9 statewide elected executive offices in Washington (33.3%). All offices are up for election this year.

As of August 14th, women are 3 (2D, 1R) of 14 (21.4%) statewide executive candidates who have already advanced to the general election, including 2 of 8 (25%) Democrats and 1 of 6 (16.7%) Republicans who have advanced to the general election. There are 4 (1D, 2R, 1NP) women candidates in contests still too close to call.

• Incumbent Secretary of State Kim Wyman (R) will be challenged by Gael Tarleton (D) in an all-woman contest for her re-election in November.
• State Auditor Pat McCarthy (D) advanced to the general election in her bid for re-election.
• Commissioner of Lands Hilary Franz (D) leads in a contest that has not been decided.