Mixed Results for Women in 2015 Elections

Elections in five states yielded mixed results for women candidates. Numbers and party balances shifted slightly among women in state legislatures; among the three legislatures where results are complete or nearly so, the proportion of women will increase slightly in two and decrease in one. (The results in Louisiana will not be complete until November 21.) For current and historical context, CAWP’s website  provides state-by-state information about women in federal, statewide and state legislative offices.

New Jersey: Legislature (Assembly, plus one special election for State Senate)

Three Republican incumbent women lost their seats in Assembly races, one defeated by a Democratic woman. A total of five new women (4D, 1R) won Assembly races, joining 20 incumbents who were re-elected. The number of women in the New Jersey Assembly will increase by 1 (to 25), but the party balance among women will change to 18 Democrats and either 7 Republicans (from the previous 15D, 9R). The newcomers (4D, 1R) include two women of color: Angela McKnight (D-31, who is Black) and Annette Chaparro (D-33, who is Latina). The other newcomers are Patricia Egan Jones (D-5), Joann Downey (D-11), and Gail Phoebus (R-24).

“While five new women will serve in the Assembly, the balance of women in the party caucuses will shift,“ noted CAWP director Debbie Walsh. “Women will now make up more than a third of the Democratic caucus,  but around a quarter of the Republican caucus. It’s a loss for the state not to have women’s perspectives fully represented in both parties.”

In the only State Senate election, incumbent Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez, appointed earlier in the year to fill a vacancy, won her special election. The New Jersey Senate will continue to have 11 women (8D, 3R).

Even if the total number of women in the New Jersey legislature rises to 37 (30.8%), the state would maintain its rank of 11^th in the nation for the proportion of women legislators.

New Jersey Assembly Candidates and Winners

Kentucky: Statewide Executive

Jenean Hampton (R) will become Kentucky’s new lieutenant governor, while Republican Allison Ball won an open-seat race for state treasurer. Incumbent Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D) won re-election.

Louisiana: Statewide Executive and Legislature

Louisiana elections feature an open primary, and candidates who secure more than 50% of the vote are elected without run-off contests; if no candidate receives 50%, the top two compete in a run-off, this year on November 21. No women were elected or chosen for run-offs for statewide offices.

Four women (3D, 1R) won their primaries for the state senate. Another 1 woman (1R) is competing in a run-off. Twelve women (6D, 6R) won their primaries for the state house; an additional 7 (4D, 3R) face run-offs.

Mississippi: Statewide Executive and Legislature

In statewide executive races, Lynn Fitch, the incumbent state treasurer, won re-election, as did Cindy Hyde-Smith, the incumbent agriculture commissioner. Both are Republicans.

In the state legislature, there are two races involving women candidates that are still too close to call (tctc), one in each house. Even if those races are won by women, the total number of women in the Mississippi legislature will drop from the current 30 to no more than 26. Already among the ten worst states for women’s representation, Mississippi is likely to drop still further.

Mississippi Legislative Candidates and Winners

Senate

House

Legislature Totals 

Virginia: Legislature

The number of women in the Virginia legislature will rise from 24 (17.1%)  to 27 (19.3%).

Virginia Legislature Candidates and Winners

Senate

House of Delegates

Legislature Totals