Women in the U.S. House of Representatives 2015
US House 2015
84
women hold seats in the House of Representatives, comprising 19.3% of the 435 members in 2015. The women represent 31 states; 62 are Democrats and 22 are Republicans.
In addition to the 84 women currently serving, four (3D, 1R) women delegates also represent American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands. The congresswomen include 32 women of color: 18 African American women, 5 Asian Pacific Islanders, and 9 Latinas. The delegates include an Asian/Pacific Islander, a Caribbean American and an African American. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who was the first woman Speaker of the House, is now House Minority Leader.
Of the 84 women in the House:
69
women first entered by winning regular general elections.
65
women lawmakers held previous elective offices prior to entering Congress.
15
won special elections; Adams (NC), Bonamici (OR), Capps (CA), Chu (CA), Clark (MA), Edwards (MD),Fudge (OH), Hahn (CA), Kelly (IL), Lee (CA), Matsui (CA), Pelosi (CA), Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Speier (CA), and Tsongas (MA) succeeded others who died or resigned. The AS, DC, GU and VI Delegates won regular general elections.
33
held more than one previous elective post. The positions include: statewide elective (3); state senator (20); state representative (45); county elective (8); municipal elective (20); judge (2); school board member (5).
Women who serve in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015 (listed in order of date first entered)
| Congresswomen | Route to Office | Dates Served |
|---|---|---|
|
Alma Adams (D-NC) |
Won simultaneous special election to fill vacancy and regular election. State representative; Greensboro city council; Greensboro school board; professor. | 11/12/14 - present |
|
Karen Bass (D-CA) |
State assembly speaker; assemblywoman; Los Angeles school board member; community activist. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Joyce Beatty (D-OH) |
State representative and House Democratic leader; small business owner; management consultant. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Diane Black (R-TN) |
State senator; state representative. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) |
State senator, state representative, executive director of Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission, businesswoman. | 1/7/03 - present |
|
Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) |
State senator, state representative, legislative assistant, attorney. Won a special election to fill a vacancy. | 2/7/12 - present |
|
Susan Brooks (R-IN) |
Attorney; Indianapolis deputy mayor; community college administrator and workforce development leader; attorney. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Corrine Brown (D-FL) |
State representative; educator. | 1/5/93 - present |
|
Julia Brownley (D-CA) |
State assemblywoman; Santa Monica-Malibu school board member and president. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Cheri Bustos (D-IL) |
East Moline alderman; health care system communications official; journalist. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Lois Capps (D-CA) |
School nurse; educator; health consultant for child development programs. Won a special election in 1998 to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband. | 3/17/98 - present |
|
Kathy Castor (D-FL) |
Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners; assistant general counsel to the Florida Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee. | 1/4/07 - present |
|
Judy Chu (D-CA) |
California state board of equalization member; state assembly; Monterey Park mayor and councilwoman; board of education member; educator. Won a special election July 14, 2009 to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Congresswoman Hilda Solis to become Secretary of Labor. | 7/16/09 - present |
|
Katherine Clark (D-MA) |
State senator; state representative; attorney. Won a special election December 10, 2013 to fill a vacancy. | 12/12/13 - present |
|
Yvette Clarke (D-NY) |
Councilwoman; director of business development for Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation; director of Bronx portion of the New York City Empowerment Zone. | 1/4/07 - present |
|
Barbara Comstock (R-VA) |
State delegate; congressional aide; chief counsel on House committee; attorney. Elected to U.S. House in 2014. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Susan Davis (D-CA) |
State assemblywoman; president, San Diego city school board. | 1/3/01 - present |
|
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) |
Congressional aide; executive director of EMILY's List; community organizer. | 1/3/91 - present |
|
Diana DeGette (D-CO) |
State representative; state house assistant leader; civil rights and employment lawyer. | 1/7/97 - present |
|
Suzan DelBene (D-WA) |
Technology entrepreneur; businesswoman; director, state Department of Revenue. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Debbie Dingell (D-MI) |
President of D2 Strategies; chair of Wayne State University Board of Governors; president of the GM Foundation; senior executive for public affairs. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
L. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) |
U.S. assistant secretary, Veterans Affairs; director, Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs; Army National Guard member. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Donna Edwards (D-MD) |
Attorney; non-profit public interest advocate against domestic violence; worked on NASA spacelab. Won special election to fill a vacancy. | 6/19/08 - present |
|
Renee Ellmers (R-NC) |
Nurse; Dunn, NC planning board. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Anna Eshoo (D-CA) |
San Mateo County supervisor and board president. Elected to U.S. House in 1992. | 1/5/93 - present |
|
Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) |
State representative; Cheshire town councilwoman; attorney; educator. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Virginia Foxx (R-NC) |
State senator; county board of education; college instructor and administrator. | 1/4/05 - present |
|
Lois Frankel (D-FL) |
West Palm Beach mayor; state representative; attorney. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Marcia Fudge (D-OH) |
Mayor of Warrensville Heights; Congressional chief of staff; attorney; won special election to fill a vacancy. | 11/19/08 - present |
|
Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) |
State representative; Honolulu city council member; National Guard member; environmental activist; aide to Senator Daniel Akaka. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Gwen Graham (D-FL) |
School administrator; businesswoman; attorney. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Kay Granger (R-TX) |
Mayor of Fort Worth; board of trustees of the US Conference of Mayors; educator; small business owner. | 1/7/97 - present |
|
Michele Lujan Grisham (D-NM) |
Bernalillo county commissioner; head, New Mexico Department of Health; secretary, New Mexico Department of Aging and Long Term Services; attorney; consultant. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Janice Hahn (D-CA) |
Los Angeles city councilwoman; Los Angeles Charter Reform Commission; educator. Won a special election to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Congresswoman Jane Harman. | 7/19/11 - present |
|
Vicky J. Hartzler (R-MO) |
Cass County Republican Central Committee; teacher; businesswoman. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) |
State representative; assistant minority floor leader; legislative assistant to congresswoman McMorris Rodgers. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Lynn M. Jenkins (R-KS) |
State treasurer; state senator; state representative; accountant; businesswoman. | 1/6/09 - present |
|
Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) |
State senator; state representative; administrator in Department of Health, Education and Welfare; nurse; consultant. | 1/5/93 - present |
|
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) |
Urban planner; White House domestic policy aide. | 1/3/83 - present |
|
Robin Kelly (D-IL) |
State representative; chief administrative officer, Cook County; community affairs director, Village of Matteson. | 4/11/13 - present |
|
Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ) |
U.S representative 2009-2011; Arizona state representative; Sedona city attorney, educator. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) |
Attorney; consultant; lobbyist. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) |
Mayor and councilwoman in Southfield; president of National Association of Democratic Mayors; lieutenant governor nominee in 2010; board of education member and president; U.S. postal carrier. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Barbara Lee (D-CA) |
State senator; state assemblywoman; senior advisor and administrative assistant to member of Congress. Won a special election in 1998 to fill a vacancy caused by a resignation. | 4/21/98 - present |
|
Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) |
Council member; municipal court associate judge; attorney; congressional committee counsel. | 1/4/95 - present |
|
Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) |
Santa Clara County Supervisor; attorney; law teacher; executive director of low-income housing development group; congressional aide. | 1/4/95 - present |
|
Mia Love (R-UT) |
Mayor and councilwoman in Saratoga Springs; councilwoman; flight attendant. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Nita Lowey (D-NY) |
Assistant New York secretary of state. | 1/3/89 - present |
|
Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY) |
State treasurer; state senator; state representative; interim director, Office of State Lands and Investments; general counsel, Office of the Governor; clerk, Wyoming Supreme Court; attorney. | 1/6/09 - present |
|
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) |
New York city council member; educator; administrator. | 1/5/93 - present |
|
Doris Matsui (D-CA) |
Public policy advocate; deputy assistant to the President and deputy director of public liaison in the Clinton administration. Won special election in 2005 to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband. | 3/10/05 - present |
|
Betty McCollum (D-MN) |
State representative; North St. Paul City Councilwoman; educator; businesswoman. | 1/3/01 - present |
|
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) |
State representative and House Republican leader. | 1/4/05 - present |
|
Martha McSally (R-AZ) |
Retired United States Air Force colonel; Tucson women's commission; national security advisor for Senator Jon Kyl. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Grace Meng (D-NY) |
State assemblywoman; attorney. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Candice Miller (R-MI) |
Michigan Secretary of State, Macomb County Treasurer, Harrison Township Supervisor, Harrison Township Trustee. | 1/7/03 - present |
|
Gwen Moore (D-WI) |
State senator; assemblywoman; city and state government administrator. | 1/4/05 - present |
|
Grace Napolitano (D-CA) |
State assemblywoman; mayor, Norwalk; city council member; businesswoman. | 1/6/99 - present |
|
Kristi Noem (R-SD) |
State representative; assistant majority leader; farmer/rancher; businesswoman. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) |
Chair of California Democratic party; Democratic National Committee member; party activist; public relations executive. Won special election in 1987 to fill a vacancy caused by death of Congresswoman Sala Burton. | 6/9/87 - present |
|
Chellie M. Pingree (D-ME) |
State senator; Senate majority leader; North Haven planning board member; North Haven tax assessor; school board chair; president, Common Cause; businesswoman. | 1/6/09 - present |
|
Kathleen Rice (D-NY) |
Elected district attorney of Nassau County; attorney. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Martha Roby (R-AL) |
Councilwoman; attorney. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) |
State senator; state representative; educator; businesswoman. Won special election in 1989 to fill a vacancy. | 9/6/89 - present |
|
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) |
State assemblywoman. | 1/5/93 - present |
|
Linda Sanchez (D-CA) |
Executive secretary-treasurer for Orange County Central Labor Council, labor compliance officer, attorney. | 1/7/03 - present |
|
Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) |
Santa Ana businesswoman; financial consultant to local governments. | 1/7/97 - present |
|
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) |
State representative; director, Illinois Public Action; educator. | 1/6/99 - present |
|
Terri Sewell (D-AL) |
Staffer for Senator Heflin and Congressman Shelby; attorney. | 1/5/11 - present |
|
Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) |
State senator; state representative; attorney; professor of social work. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Louise Slaughter (D-NY) |
State assemblywoman; Monroe County legislator; gubernatorial staff member. | 1/3/87 - present |
|
Jackie Speier (D-CA) |
State senator; state assemblywoman; San Mateo county supervisor; legal counsel to congressmember; attorney. Won special election in 2008 to fill a vacancy caused by death. | 4/10/08 - present |
|
Elise Stefanik (R-NY) |
Small businesswoman; policy and communications strategist. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Dina Titus (D-NV) |
U.S. representative 2009-11; state senator and senate minority leader; professor of political science. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Norma Torres (D-CA) |
State senator; assemblywoman; mayor and councilwoman in Pomona; union representative; 9-1-1 dispatcher. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Niki Tsongas (D-MA) |
College dean of external affairs; attorney; social worker. Won special election to fill a vacancy. | 10/17/07 - present |
|
Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) |
New York city council member; director of the Department of Puerto Rican Community Affairs; educator. | 1/5/93 - present |
|
Ann Wagner (R-MO) |
U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg; Senate campaign chair, Roy Blunt; co-chair, Republican National Committee; Missouri Republican Party chair. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Jackie Walorski (R-IN) |
State representative; missionary; higher education administrator; journalist. | 1/3/13 - present |
|
Mimi Walters (R-CA) |
State senator; assemblywoman; Laguna mayor and councilwoman; investment banker. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) |
State senator; state representative. | 1/4/05 - present |
|
Maxine Waters (D-CA) |
State assemblywoman; educator. | 1/3/91 - present |
|
Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) |
State assembly (majority leader); state Democratic party chair; director of Office of Civil Rights in State Department of Transportation. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Frederica Wilson (D-FL) |
State senator; state representative; school board member. | 1/5/11 - present |
| Delegates | ||
|
Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU) |
Lieutenant governor, Guam senator, Guam's First Lady, community organizer. | 1/7/03 - present |
|
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) |
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission chair; New York City Commission on Human Rights chair; law professor. | 1/3/91 - present |
|
Stacey Plaskett (D-VI) |
Virgin Islands economic development group; counsel to House of Representatives ethics committee; attorney. | 1/6/15 - present |
|
Amata Radewagen (R-AS) |
Community activist, Republican National Committeewoman, appointee to White House Commission for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. | 1/6/15 - present |