Results from Primaries in CT, MN, TN, VT, and WI: Potential History in Vermont and More All-Woman U.S. House Races

CAWP Staff

LAST UPDATED: 8.22.22 5:15pm ET (final results)

Four primaries were held on Tuesday in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin, and another primary was held last Thursday in Tennessee. Full context about women in the 2022 elections, including candidate lists, summaries, and historical comparisons, is available via the Center for American Women and Politics’ (CAWP) Election Watch.

Among the most notable results for women:

  • While 14 (9D, 5R) non-incumbent women won major-party nominations for the U.S. House in CT, MN, TN, VT, and WI, just 1 (1D) non-incumbent woman is a nominee favored to win in November.
    • State Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint (D) won the Democratic nomination for Vermont’s at-large U.S. House seat. She will compete in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report and is strongly favored to become the first woman to serve in the U.S. Congress from Vermont. Vermont is the only state that has never sent a woman to Congress.
  • All 8 (6D, 2R) incumbent women members of the U.S. House won primary nominations. All but 1 (1D) incumbent woman – U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D, MN-02) – are strongly favored to win re-election in November. Craig (D) will compete in a general election contest currently rated as a toss-up by Cook Political Report.
  • Women are both major-party nominees in four U.S. House contests decided on August 9th.
    • Lesley DeNardis (R) will challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D) in CT-03, an all-woman contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • May Lor Xiong (R) will challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D) in MN-04, an all-woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • Cicely Davis (R) will challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D) in MN-05, an all-woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • Jill Abahsain (D) will challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Michelle Fischbach (R) in MN-07, an all-woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • In Connecticut, Leora Levy (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal (D) in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. If successful, Levy would be the first Latina elected to the U.S. Congress from Connecticut.
  • Multiple non-incumbent women could make gains in statewide elective executive offices other than governor.
    • In Connecticut, State Representative Stephanie Thomas (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for secretary of state. In American history, just 3 (2D, 1R) Black women have ever served as secretaries of state nationwide.
    • In Vermont, Charity Clark (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for attorney general. If successful in November, she would be the first woman elected attorney general in Vermont. Current incumbent Attorney General Susanne Young (R), the first woman to hold the office, was appointed by Governor Scott (R) in July 2022 to fill a vacancy. She did not run for a full term.
    • In Vermont, State Representative Sarah Copeland Hanzas (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for secretary of state.
    • In Wisconsin, State Representative Sara Rodriguez (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for lieutenant governor. She will run on a single ticket with Governor Tony Evers (D) in the general election for governor and lieutenant governor. This contest is currently rated as a toss-up by Cook Political Report.

Connecticut

Minnesota

Tennessee

Vermont

Wisconsin

 

Connecticut

U.S. Senate

No woman has ever served in the U.S. Senate from Connecticut.

In 2022, 2 (2R) women filed as candidates for the U.S. Senate.

Leora Levy (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Senator Richard Blumenthal (D) in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. If successful, Levy would be the first Latina elected to the U.S. Congress from Connecticut.

U.S. House

Women currently hold 2 (2D) of 5 (40%) seats in the Connecticut delegation to the U.S. House. Eight (6D, 2R) women have served in the U.S. House from Connecticut.

In 2022, 4 (2D, 2R) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Connecticut.

Based on primary election results, women are 4 of 10 (40%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Connecticut, including 2 of 5 (40%) Democrats and 2 of 5 (40%) Republicans. No women candidates for the U.S. House were unsuccessful.

  • 2 (2D) of 2 incumbent U.S. Representatives are nominees for re-election.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary in CT-03 and will run for re-election in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary in CT-05 and will run for re-election in a general election contest currently rated as “Lean Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
  • 2 (2R) women won nominations to challenge incumbents in November.
    • Lesley DeNardis (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D) in CT-03, an all-woman contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report. DeNardis is the daughter of Lawrence J. DeNardis, the last Republican Member of Congress to represent CT-03.
    • Former Selectman Jayme Stevenson (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Jim Himes (D) in CT-04, a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 4 (2D, 2R) women nominees for U.S. House in Connecticut, 1 (1D) woman – Hayes (D) – is Black and 3 (1D, 2R) women – DeLauro (D), DeNardis (R), and Stevenson (R) – are white.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women currently hold 2 (2D) of 6 (33.3%) statewide elective executive offices in Connecticut. Twenty (13D, 6R, 1NP) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Connecticut, including 2 (1D, 1R) women who have served as governor.

All 6 statewide elective executive offices in Connecticut are up for election in 2022.

Nine (5D, 4R) women filed as candidates for six statewide elective executive offices up for election in Connecticut in 2022, but no women are candidates in this year’s gubernatorial election.

Based on primary election results, women are 5 of 12 (41.7%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Connecticut, including 2 of 6 (33.3%) Democrats and 3 of 6 (50%) Republicans. Four (3D, 1R) women candidates for statewide elective executive offices were unsuccessful.

  • Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary and will be challenged in an all-woman general election contest by State Representative Laura Devlin (R), who was unopposed in the Republican primary.
  • Incumbent Comptroller Natalie Braswell (D), who was appointed to office in 2021, is not running for a full term. West Hartford Town Councilwoman Mary Fay (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary for this open seat.
  • Jessica Kordas (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary to challenge incumbent Attorney General William Tong (D).
  • State Representative Stephanie Thomas (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for secretary of state.

Of the 5 (2D, 3R) women nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Connecticut, 1 (1D) woman – Thomas (secretary of state) – is Black, 4 (1D, 3R) women – Bysiewicz (D, lieutenant governor), Devlin (R, lieutenant governor), Fay (R, comptroller), and Kordas (R, attorney general). In American history, just 3 (2D, 1R) Black women have ever served as secretaries of state nationwide.

 

Minnesota

U.S. House Special Election

A general special election for the U.S. House seat was held in MN-01 on August 9, 2022. There were no women nominees in this general election contest.

U.S. House

Women currently hold 4 (3D, 1R) of 8 (50%) seats in the Minnesota delegation to the U.S. House. Six (4D, 2R) women have served in the U.S. House from Minnesota.

In 2022, 12 (9D, 3R) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Minnesota.

Based on primary election results, women are 9 of 16 (56.3%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Minnesota, including 6 of 8 (75%) Democrats and 3 of 8 (37.5%) Republicans. Three (3D) women candidates for the U.S. House were unsuccessful.

  • 4 (3D, 1R) of 4 incumbent U.S. Representatives are nominees for re-election.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Angie Craig (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary in MN-02 and will run for re-election in a general election contest currently rated as a toss-up by Cook Political Report.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D) won the Democratic nomination in MN-04. She will run for re-election in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D) won the Democratic nomination in MN-05. She will run for re-election in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Michelle Fischbach (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary in MN-07 and will run for re-election in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • 5 (3D, 2R) women won nominations to challenge incumbents in November.
    • May Lor Xiong (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D) in MN-04, an all-woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • Cicely Davis (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D) in MN-05, an all-woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
    • Jeanne Hendricks (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Tom Emmer (R) in MN-06, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • Jill Abahsain (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Michelle Fischbach (R) in MN-07, an all-woman general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • State Representative Jennifer Schultz (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Pete Stauber (R) in MN-08, a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 9 (6D, 3R) women nominees for U.S. House in Minnesota, 1 (1R) woman – Xiong – is Asian American, 2 (1D, 1R) women – Davis (R) and Omar (D) – are Black, and 6 (5D, 1R) women – Abahsain (D), Craig (D), Fischbach (R), Hendricks (D), McCollum (D), and Schultz (D) – are white. No Asian American/Pacific Islander woman has ever represented Minnesota in the U.S. Congress.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women currently hold 2 (2D) of 5 (40%) statewide elective executive offices in Minnesota.  17 (10D, 7R, 1NP) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Minnesota, but no woman has served as governor.

All 5 statewide elective executive offices in Minnesota are up for election in 2022.

Six (3D, 3R) women filed as candidates for six statewide elective executive offices up for election in Minnesota in 2022, including 1 (1R) woman who filed as a candidate for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 3 of 10 (30%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Minnesota, including 2 of 5 (40%) Democrats and 1 of 5 (20%) Republicans. Three (1D, 2R) women candidates for statewide elective executive offices were unsuccessful.

  • Incumbent State Auditor Julie Blaha (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary and will run for re-election in November.
  • Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (D) won the Democratic nomination and will run for re-election in November.
  • Kim Crockett (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Secretary of State Steve Simon (D).

Of the 3 (2D, 1R) women nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Minnesota, 1 (1D) woman – Flanagan (lieutenant governor) – is Native American and 2 (1D, 1R) women – Blaha (D, state auditor) and Crockett (R, secretary of state) – are white.

 

Tennessee

U.S. House

Women currently hold 1 (1R) of 9 (11.1%) seats in the Tennessee delegation to the U.S. House. Seven (5D, 2R) women have served in the U.S. House from Tennessee.

In 2022, 10 (4D, 6R) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Tennessee.

Based on primary election results, women are 6 of 18 (33.3%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Tennessee, including 4 of 9 (44.4%) Democrats and 2 of 9 (22.2%) Republicans. Four (4R) women candidates for the U.S. House were unsuccessful.

  • 1 (1R) of 1 incumbent U.S. Representative is a nominee for re-election.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Diana Harshbarger (R) was unopposed in the Republican primary in TN-01 and will run for re-election in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • 4 (3D, 1R) women won nominations to challenge incumbents in November.
    • Meg Gorman (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann (R) in TN-03, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • Odessa Kelly (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Mark Green (R) in TN-07, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • Lynette Williams (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative David Kustoff (R) in TN-08, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
    • Charlotte Bergmann (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Steve Cohen (D) in TN-09, a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
  • 1 (1D) woman won a nomination for an open-seat U.S. House contest.
    • State Senator Heidi Campbell (D) won the Democratic nomination in TN-05, a contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 6 (4D, 2R) women nominees for U.S. House in Tennessee, 2 (1D, 1R) women – Bergmann (R) and Odessa (D) are Black, 3 (2D, 1R) women – Campbell (D), Harshbarger (R), and Gorman (D) – are white, and racial identification is unavailable for 1 (1D) woman (Williams).

Governor

No woman has ever served as governor of Tennessee. In 2022, 1 (1D) woman - Carnita Atwater (D) –  ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Governor Bill Lee (R).

 

Vermont

Vermont is the only state that has never sent a woman to the U.S. Congress.

U.S. Senate

No woman has ever served in the U.S. Senate from Vermont.

In 2022, 2 (1D, 1R) women filed as candidates in the open-seat U.S. Senate contest. Both were unsuccessful in primary elections.

U.S. House

No women have ever served in the U.S. House from Vermont. In 2022, 5 (3D, 2R) women filed as candidates for the at-large U.S. House seat in Vermont.

Based on primary election results, women are 1 (1D) of 2 (50%) major-party nominees for U.S. House in Vermont. Four (2D, 2R) women candidates for the U.S. House were unsuccessful.

  • State Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint (D) won the Democratic nomination for Vermont’s at-large U.S. House seat. She will compete in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Democratic” by Cook Political Report and is strongly favored to become the first woman to serve in the U.S. Congress from Vermont. Vermont is the only state that has never sent a woman to Congress.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women currently hold 3 (2D, 1R) of 6 (50%) statewide elective executive offices in Vermont. Eleven (7D, 4R) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Vermont, including 1 (1D) woman who has served as governor: Madeleine Kunin (1985-1991).

All 6 statewide elective executive offices in Vermont are up for election in 2022.

Five (5D) women filed as candidates for five statewide elective executive offices up for election in Vermont in 2022, including 1 (1D) woman who filed as a candidate for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 3 of 12 (25%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Vermont, including 3 of 6 (50%) Democrats and 0 of 6 (0%) Republicans. Two (2D) women candidates for statewide elective executive offices were unsuccessful.

  • Brenda Siegel (D) was unopposed in the Democratic primary for governor. She will challenge incumbent Governor Phil Scott (R) in a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.
  • Charity Clark (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for attorney general. If successful in November, she would be the first woman elected attorney general in Vermont. Current incumbent Attorney General Susanne Young (R), the first woman to hold the office, was appointed by Governor Scott (R) in July 2022 to fill a vacancy. She did not run for a full term.
  • State Representative Sarah Copeland Hanzas (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for secretary of state.
  • Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray (D) did not run for re-election, instead running unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in Vermont’s at-large U.S. House district.
  • Incumbent State Treasurer Beth Pearce (D) did not run for re-election.

All 3 (3D) women nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Vermont are white. All of the women who have held statewide elective executive office in Vermont to date are white.

 

Wisconsin

U.S. Senate

Current U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D) is the first and only woman to have ever served in the U.S. Senate from Wisconsin. She was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012.

In 2022, 1 (1D) woman – incumbent State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski (D) – filed as a candidate for the U.S. Senate to challenge incumbent Senator Ron Johnson (R). While she appeared on the primary ballot, she withdrew from the contest on July 29th.

U.S. House

Women currently hold 1 (1D) of 8 (12.5%) seats in the Wisconsin delegation to the U.S. House. Two (2D) women have served in the U.S. House from Wisconsin.

In 2022, 5 (4D, 1R) women filed as candidates for U.S. House seats in Wisconsin.

Based on primary election results, women are 2 of 14 (14.3%) major-party nominees already selected for U.S. House in Wisconsin, including 2 of 6 (33.3%) Democrats and 0 of 8 (0%) Republicans. Three (2D, 1R) women candidates for the U.S. House were unsuccessful.

  • 1 (1D) of 1 incumbent U.S. Representative is a nominee for re-election.
    • Incumbent U.S. Representative Gwen Moore (D) won the Democratic nomination for re-election in WI-04, a contest currently rated as “Solid Democrat” by Cook Political Report.
  • 1 (1D) woman won a nomination to challenge an incumbent in November.
    • Ann Roe (D) won the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Representative Bryan Steil (R) in WI-01, a general election contest currently rated as “Solid Republican” by Cook Political Report.

Of the 2 (2D) women nominees for U.S. House in Wisconsin, 1 (1D) woman – Moore – is Black and 1 (1D) woman – Roe (D) – is white.

Statewide Elective Executive Office

Women currently hold 2 (2D) of 6 (33.3%) statewide elective executive offices in Wisconsin. Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly (D) is not up for re-election in 2022. Incumbent State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski (D) is not running for re-election. Instead, she was a candidate for the U.S. Senate until just over a week prior to the primary election, when she withdrew from the contest.

Fourteen (7D, 5R, 2NP) women have served in statewide elective executive offices in Wisconsin, but no woman has ever served as governor of Wisconsin.

Five of 6 statewide elective executive offices in Wisconsin are up for election in 2022.

Seven (3D, 4R) women filed as candidates for five statewide elective executive offices up for election in Wisconsin in 2022, including 1 (1R) woman who filed as a candidate for governor.

Based on primary election results, women are 2 of 10 (20%) major-party nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Wisconsin, including 1 of 5 (20%) Democrats and 1 of 5 (20%) Republicans. Five (2D, 3R) women candidates for statewide elective executive offices were unsuccessful.

  • State Representative Sara Rodriguez (D) won the Democratic nomination in the open-seat contest for lieutenant governor. She will run on a single ticket with Governor Tony Evers (D) in the general election for governor and lieutenant governor. This contest is currently rated as a toss-up by Cook Political Report.
  • State Representative Amy Loudenbeck (R) won the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Secretary of State Doug La Follette (D). La Follette has held the office since 1983.

Of the 2 (1D, 1R) women nominees for statewide elective executive offices in Wisconsin, both are white.

****

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

CAWP Staff