Results from primaries and runoffs in AL, AR, GA, and TX: Potential Historic Firsts and More Advancements for Women in Yesterday’s Primaries

CAWP Staff

LAST UPDATED: 9.7.22 1:30pm ET (final results)

 

Three primaries were held on Tuesday in Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia and a primary runoff election was held in Texas. Full context about women in the 2022 elections, including candidate lists, summaries, and historical comparisons, are available via the Center for American Women and Politics’ (CAWP) Election Watch.

Among the most notable results thus far for women:

  • In Arkansas, former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders won the Republican nomination for governor and is highly favored in the general election. Meanwhile, the lieutenant governor’s race will be contested by two women, current Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R) and Kelly Ross Krout (D), meaning there is a high likelihood that the next Arkansas governor and lieutenant governor will both be women. No state in U.S. history has had women concurrently serving as both governor and lieutenant governor.
  • With her defeat by incumbent U.S. Representative Lucy McBath (D) in GA-07, incumbent U.S. Representative Carolyn Bourdeaux (D) becomes the first woman U.S. House incumbent defeated in the 2022 election. [Fact sheet: Redistricting Effects on Women Congressional Incumbents]
  • Jasmine Crockett (D) won the Democratic nomination in TX-30, an open-seat contest currently rated as "Solid Democrat" by Cook Political Report, indicating a possible pick-up for a Black woman in the U.S. House from Texas.
  • Women are major-party nominees for governor in Alabama, Arkansas, and Georgia in 2022. Arkansas and Georgia have never elected a woman governor.  
    • Incumbent Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) won the Republican nomination for re-election in a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. She will face the winner of a Democratic primary runoff election between two women – Malika Sanders-Fortier (D) and Yolanda Flowers (D) – ensuring that both major-party nominees for governor will be women. If successful, either Sanders-Fortier or Flowers would be the first Black woman elected statewide.
    • Former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) won the Republican nomination for governor of Arkansas and is strongly favored to win in November. She would be the first woman governor of Arkansas, as well as the first daughter of a former governor to fill the position formerly held by her father. Mike Huckabee was governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007.
    • Former State Representative Stacey Abrams (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary for governor of Georgia. She will challenge incumbent Governor Brian Kemp (R) in November, marking a rematch of the 2018 gubernatorial election where Abrams lost to Kemp by 1.4 points. Abrams became the first Black woman to be a nominee for governor of any state in 2018; if successful this year, she would be the first Black woman governor in the U.S. as well as the first woman governor of Georgia. She would also be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
  • Women have advanced in U.S. Senate elections in Alabama and Arkansas.
    • Katie Britt (R) has advanced to the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate in Alabama, where she will compete against U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R). If successful, Britt would be the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama (two women were previously appointed), as well as the first Republican woman to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate.
    • Natalie James (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Senator John Boozman (R) in Arkansas, a contest that is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. If successful, James would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Arkansas.
  • Women have advanced in other key statewide elective executive contests in Arkansas, Georgia, and Texas.
    • Incumbent Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R), who is term limited, won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Arkansas. She will run against Democratic nominee Kelly Ross Krout (D) in an all-woman general election contest. With their success, there is a high likelihood that Arkansas’ governor and lieutenant governor – who run on separate tickets in the state – will both be women in 2023.
    • State Representative Bee Nguyen (D) and former State Representative Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D) advanced to the Democratic primary runoff election to challenge incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger (R) in November. If successful, Nguyen would be the first Asian American woman and Dawkins-Haigler would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
    • Rochelle Garza (D) won the Democratic nomination to compete to challenge incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in November. No woman has ever served as attorney general of Texas. Garza would also be the first Latina to serve as attorney general of Texas.

 

Alabama

Arkansas

 

Georgia

Texas Runoff

Alabama

U.S. Senate

Two (2D) women have previously served in the U.S. Senate from Alabama, but neither was elected to office nor served for more than five months. 

  • Maryon Pittman Allen (D) was appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband and served from June 8, 1978 to November 7, 1978. While she did run in the special election to serve the remainder of her husband’s term, she was unsuccessful.
  • Dixie Bibb Graves (D) was appointed by her husband – then-Governor Bibb Graves - to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Hugo Black to serve on the Supreme Court. She served from August 20, 1937 to January 10, 1938, when she resigned.

Three (3R) women filed as candidates for the open U.S. Senate seat in Alabama in 2022. Two (2R) women were defeated in the Republican primary.

Katie Britt (R) has advanced to the Republican primary runoff, where she will compete against U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R). Britt is a former chief of staff to Senator Shelby, the current incumbent who has decided not to run for re-election. Shelby endorsed Britt in June 2021. This contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

If successful, Britt would be the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama, as well as the first Republican woman to represent Alabama in the U.S. Senate.

U.S. House

Women currently hold 1 of 7 (14.3%) seats in the Alabama delegation to the U.S. House. Three (2D, 1R) women have ever served in the U.S. House from Alabama, including current U.S. Representative Terri Sewell (D).

Six (5D, 1R) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Alabama in 2022.

Based on primary election results, women are 5 of 11 (45.5%) major-party nominees already selected for U.S. House in Alabama, including 4 of 5 (80%) Democrats and 1 of 6 (16.7%) Republicans. They are 0 of 2 (0%) U.S. House candidates moving on to the June 21, 2022 Republican runoff election in AL-05. One (1D) woman candidate for the U.S. House was unsuccessful.

  • Incumbent Representative Terri Sewell (D) is seeking re-election in AL-07, a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. Sewell was unopposed in the primary and will face Beatrice Nichols (R), also unopposed in the primary, in an all-woman general election contest.
  • 3 (2D, 1R) women won nominations to challenge incumbents in November.
    • Phyllis Harvey-Hall (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Representative Barry Moore (R) in AL-02, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • Lin Veasey (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Mike Rogers (R) in AL-03, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • Beatrice Nichols (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary to challenge incumbent Representative Terri Sewell (D) in an all-woman general election contest in AL-07, a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
  • 1 (1D) woman has won a nomination for an open-seat U.S. House contest.
    • Kathy Warner-Stanton (D) won the Democratic nomination in AL-5, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 5 (4D, 1R) women nominees for U.S. House in Alabama, 3 (3D) – Harvey-Hall (AL-02), Warner-Stanton (AL-05), and Sewell (AL-07) – are Black, 1 (1R) – Nichols (AL-07) – is Native American, and 1 (1D) – Veasey (AL-03) – is white. All of the women who have represented Alabama in Congress to date have been Black or white. 

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women currently hold 2 (2R) of 10 (20%) statewide elective executive offices in Alabama, including governor. Eighteen (13D, 5R) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Alabama, including 10 (8D, 2R) women who have served in multiple positions.

Two (1D, 1R) women who have served as governor of Alabama. Incumbent Governor Kay Ivey (R) first ascended to office in April 2017 upon the resignation of Governor Robert Bentley; before that, she served as lieutenant governor (2011-2017) and treasurer (2003-2011). Ivey won election to a full term as governor in 2018. In 1966, Lurleen Wallace (D) was elected governor as a surrogate for her husband who could not run for re-election; she died while serving in office in May 1968. Governor Ivey is running for re-election this year.

All but one statewide elective executive office is up for election in Alabama this year. Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Twinkle Cavanaugh (R), the only other woman holding statewide elective executive office other than Governor Ivey, is the only statewide elective executive official not on the ballot this year.

Seven (4D, 3R) women filed as candidates for the nine statewide elective executive offices up for election in Alabama in 2022, including 5 (3D, 2R) women who filed as candidates for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 2 of 7 (28.6%) major-party nominees already selected for statewide elective executive offices in Alabama, including 1 of 2 (50%) Democrats and 1 of 5 (20%) Republicans. They are 2 of 10 (20%) candidates moving on to the June 21, 2022 runoff election, including 2 of 2 (100%) Democrats and 0 of 8 (0%) Republicans. Three (1D, 2R) women statewide elective executive candidates were unsuccessful.

  • Incumbent Governor Kay Ivey (R) won the Republican nomination for re-election in a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. She will face the winner of a Democratic primary runoff election between two women, ensuring that both major-party nominees for governor will be women.
  • 2 (2D) women – Malika Sanders-Fortier (D) and Yolanda Flowers (D) – have advanced to the Democratic primary runoff to challenge incumbent Governor Kay Ivey in November. If successful, either Sanders-Fortier and Flowers would be the first Black woman elected statewide.
  • 1 (1D) woman – Pamela Laffitte (D) – has won a nomination for the open-seat contest for secretary of state. If successful, she would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Alabama.

Of the 2 (1D, 1R) women nominees and 2 (2D) women advancing to the runoff elections for statewide elective executive office in Alabama, 3 (3D) – Flowers (governor), Sanders-Fortier (governor), and Laffitte (secretary of state) – are Black and 1 (1R) – Ivey (governor) – is white. All of the women who have served in statewide elective executive office in Alabama to date have been white.

 

Arkansas

Arkansas is one of twelve states that currently has no women in Congress.

U.S. Senate

Two (2D) women have previously served in the U.S. Senate from Arkansas:

  • Hattie Wyatt Caraway (D) was initially appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband; her subsequent election in January 1932 made her the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate. Caraway served from December 1931 to January 1945.
  • Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D) served from 1999 to 2011.

Two (1D, 1R) women filed as candidates for the U.S. Senate in Arkansas. Natalie James (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Senator John Boozman (R) in a contest is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. If successful, James would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Arkansas.

U.S. House

Women currently hold 0 of 4 (0%) seats in the Arkansas delegation to the U.S. House. Four (4D) women have served in the U.S. House from Arkansas. The last woman to serve in the U.S. House from Arkansas was Blanche Lambert Lincoln. She left the House in 1997.

Two (2D) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Arkansas in 2022. Both were unopposed in the Democratic primary and will challenge Republican incumbents who are strongly favored to win in November.

Based on primary election results, women are 2 of 8 (25%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Kentucky, including 2 of 4 (50%) Democrats and 0 of 4 (0%) Republicans.

  • Quintessa Hathaway (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative French Hill (R) in AR-02, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Lauren Mallet-Hays (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Steve Womack (R) in AR-03, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 2 (2D) women nominees, 1 (1D) – Quintessa Hathaway (AR-02) – is Black and 1 (1D) – Lauren Mallet-Hays (AR-03) is white. All of the women who have represented Arkansas in Congress to date have been white.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women currently hold 2 (2R) of 7 (28.6%) statewide elective executive offices in Arkansas. Eight (5D, 3R) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Arkansas, including 2 (2D) women who have served in multiple positions. No woman has ever served as governor of Arkansas.

All statewide elective executive offices are up for election in Arkansas this year.

Eight (6D, 2R) women filed as candidates for the seven statewide elective executive offices up for election in Arkansas in 2022, including 2 (1D, 1R) women who filed as candidates for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 7 of 14 (50%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Arkansas, including 5 of 7 (71.4%) Democrats and 2 of 7 (28.6%) Republicans. One (1D) woman statewide elective executive candidate was unsuccessful.

  • Both (2R) incumbent women statewide elective executive officeholders – Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R) and State Auditor Andrea Lea (R) – are term-limited and cannot run for re-election. Rutledge ran for and won the Republican nomination for the open-seat contest for lieutenant governor.
  • 2 (2D) women won nominations to challenge incumbents in November.
    • Goldi Gaines (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Commissioner of Lands Tommy Land in the general election. If successful, she would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Alabama.
    • Anna Beth Gorman (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Secretary of State John Thurston in the general election.
  • 5 (3D, 2R) won nominations for open-seat statewide elective executive contests.
    • Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) won the Republican nomination for governor of Arkansas and is strongly favored to win in November. She would be the first woman governor of Arkansas, as well as the first daughter of a former governor to fill the position formerly held by her father. Mike Huckabee was governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007.
    • Kelly Ross Krout (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor and will compete against Republican nominee Leslie Rutledge (R) in an all-woman general election contest. With their success, there is a high likelihood that Arkansas’ governor and lieutenant governor – who run on separate tickets in the state – will both be women in 2023.
    • Diamond Arnold-Johnson (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary for state auditor. If successful, she would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Alabama.
    • Pam Whitaker (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary for state treasurer.

Of the 7 (5D, 2R) women nominees for statewide elective executive office in Arkansas, 2 (2D) – Arnold-Johnson (state auditor) and Gaines (commissioner of lands) – are Black and 5 (3D, 2R) are white. All women elected to statewide elective and congressional office in Arkansas have been white. 

 

Georgia

U.S. Senate

Two (1D, 1R) women have previously served in the U.S. Senate from Georgia, but neither was elected to office nor served a full term. 

  • Rebecca Latimer Felton (D) was appointed to fill a vacancy and became the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate; she only served for one day in 1922.
  • Kelly Loeffler (R) was appointed to fill a vacancy caused by a retirement. She was unsuccessful in her election to retain the seat. She served from January 6, 2020 to January 20, 2021.

One (1D) woman – Tamara Johnson-Shealey (D) – ran unsuccessfully as a challenger to incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock (D) in the Democratic primary.

U.S. House

Women currently hold 4 (3D, 1R) of 14 (28.6%) seats in the Georgia delegation to the U.S. House. Ten (8D, 2R) women have served in the U.S. House from Georgia.

Twenty-seven (15D, 12R) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Georgia in 2022.

Based on primary election results, women are 4 of 22 (18.2%) major-party nominees already selected for U.S. House in Georgia, including 3 of 12 (25%) Democrats and 1 of 10 (10%) Republicans. They are 3 of 12 (25%) U.S. House candidates moving on to the June 21, 2022 runoff election, including 3 of 4 (75%) Democrats and 0 of 8 (0%) Republicans who have already advanced. At least 20 (9D, 11R) women U.S. House candidates were unsuccessful.

  • 3 (2D, 1R) women incumbents are nominees for re-election.
    • Due to redistricting, incumbent Representatives Carolyn Bourdeaux (D) and Lucy McBath (D) ran against each other in the Democratic primary in GA-07. McBath won the Democratic nomination and will advance to a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. With her defeat, Bourdeaux becomes the first woman U.S. House incumbent defeated in the 2022 election.
    • Incumbents Nikema Williams (D, GA-05) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R, GA-14) won their nominations and are strongly favored to win re-election in November.
  • 1 (1D) woman has already won a nomination to challenge an incumbent in November and 2 (2D) more women are in a contest still too close to call.
    • Liz Johnson (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Representative Rick Allen (R) in GA-12, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • Joyce Griggs (D) has advanced to the runoff election for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Representative Buddy Carter (R) in GA-01, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • 2 (2D) women – Tabitha Johnson-Green (D) and Jessica Fore (D) – have advanced to the runoff election for the Democratic nomination in GA-10, an open-seat contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report. 

Of the 4 (3D, 1R) women already selected as nominees for U.S. House in Georgia, 3 (3D) – Williams (GA-05), McBath (GA-07), and Johnson (GA-12) – are Black and 1 (1R) – Greene (GA-14) – is white. Of the 3 (3D) women runoff candidates, 2 (2D) – Griggs (GA-01) and Johnson-Green (GA-10) are Black and 1 (1D) – Fore (GA-10) – is white.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women currently hold 1 (1R) of 13 (7.7%) statewide elective executive offices in Georgia. Six (1D, 5R) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Georgia. No woman has ever served as governor of Georgia.

All but two statewide elective executive offices in Georgia are up for election in 2022; 2 of 4 seats on the Public Service Commission are not up for election this year.

Eighteen (15D, 3R) women filed as candidates for eleven statewide elective executive offices up for election in Georgia in 2022, including 3 (1D, 2R) women who filed as candidates for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 6 of 16 (37.5%) major-party nominees already selected for statewide elective executive offices in Georgia, including 6 of 6 (100%) Democrats and 0 of 10 (0%) Republicans. They are 4 of 8 (50%) statewide elective executive candidates moving on to the June 21, 2022 runoff election, including 4 of 8 (50%) Democrats who have already advanced. Eight (5D, 3R) women statewide elective executive candidates were unsuccessful.

  • Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore (R) is not up for election this year.
  • 5 (5D) women have already won nominations to challenge incumbents in November and 3 (3D) women have advanced to a runoff election to be a general election challenger.
    • Former State Representative Stacey Abrams (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary for governor. She will challenge incumbent Governor Brian Kemp (R) in November, marking a rematch of the 2018 gubernatorial election where Abrams lost Kemp by 1.4 points. Abrams became the first Black woman to be a nominee for governor of any state in 2018; If successful this year, she would be the first Black woman governor in the U.S. as well as the first woman governor of Georgia. She would also be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
    • Patty Durand (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols (R) in November.
    • Alisha Thomas Searcy (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Richard Woods (R) in November. If successful, she would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
    • State Representative Jen Jordan (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Attorney General Chris Carr (R) in November.
    • Shelia Edwards (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Public Service Commissioner Fitz Johnson (R, District 3) in November. If successful, she would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
    • State Representative Bee Nguyen (D) and former State Representative Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D) have advanced to the Democratic primary runoff election to challenge incumbent Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger (R) in November. If successful, Nguyen would be the first Asian American woman and Dawkins-Haigler would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
    • Janice Laws Robinson (D) has advanced to the Democratic primary runoff election to challenge incumbent Insurance Commissioner John King (R) in November.  If successful, she would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
  • 1 (1D) woman has already won a nomination and 1 (1R) woman is in a contest still too close to call for open-seat statewide elective executive contests. One (1D) woman has advanced to a runoff election for an open-seat statewide elective executive contest.
    • Nakita Hemingway (D) won the Democratic nomination for commissioner of agriculture. If successful, she would be the first Black woman elected statewide in Georgia.
    • Nicole Horn (D) has advanced to the Democratic primary runoff election for commissioner of labor.

Of the 6 (6D) women nominees already selected and 4 (4D) women advancing to runoff elections for statewide elective executive office in Georgia, 6 (6D) – Abrams (governor), Searcy (superintendent of public instruction), Edwards (public service commissioner), Hemingway (commissioner of agriculture), Dawkins-Haigler (secretary of state), and Robinson (insurance commissioner) – are Black, 1 (1D) – Nguyen (secretary of state) – is Asian American, and 3 (3D) – Durand (public service commission), Horn (commissioner of labor), and Jordan (attorney general) – are white. All women elected to statewide office in Georgia to date have been white. 

 

Texas Runoff

U.S. House

Women were 10 of 30 (33.3%) U.S. House candidates in the May 24, 2022 runoff election, including 7 of 14 (50%) Democrats and 3 of 16 (18.8%) Republicans.

  • Michelle Vallejo (D) won the Democratic nomination in TX-15, an open-seat and now all-woman contest currently rated as “Lean Republican” by Cook Political Report. She will compete against Monica De La Cruz-Hernandez (R), who won the Republican nomination in March.
  • Jasmine Crockett (D) won the Democratic nomination in TX-30, an open-seat contest currently rated as "Solid Democrat" by Cook Political Report. 
  • Claudia Andreana Zapata (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Representative Chip Roy (R) in TX-21, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Jan McDowell (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Representative Beth Van Duyne (R) in TX-24, an all-woman contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Jenny Garcia Sharon (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Representative Lloyd Doggett (D) in TX-37 (new district), a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. 
  • Cassy Garcia (R) won the Republican nomination in TX-28, a district currently rated as a toss up by Cook Political Report. 

Combined with primary election results from March, women are 24 of 70 (34.3%) major-party nominees selected for U.S. House in Texas, including 16 of 32 (50%) Democrats and 8 of 38 (21.1%) Republicans. This matches the previous high for women Republican House nominees of 8, set in 2020. 

Statewide Elective Executive Offices

Women were 6 of 14 (42.9%) statewide candidates in the May 24, 2022 runoff election, including 4 of 8 (50%) Democrats and 2 of 6 (33.3%) Republicans.

  • Rochelle Garza (D) won the Democratic nomination to compete to challenge incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in November. No woman has ever served as attorney general of Texas. Garza would also be the first Latina to serve as attorney general of Texas.
  • Janet Dudding won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Commissioner of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar (R) in November.
  • Dawn Buckingham (R) won the Republican nomination for Texas land commissioner. She would be the first woman land commissioner in Texas history. 

Combined with primary election results from March, women are 4 of 14 (28.6%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Texas, including 3 of 7 (42.8%) Democrats and 1 of 7 (14.3%) Republicans. 

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For primary results summaries from other states and full results, including candidate lists, summaries, and historical comparisons, see CAWP’s Election Watch.

CAWP Staff