In a landmark achievement in 2023, twelve women will be serving as governors around the US, breaking the previous record of nine. While this is progress, there is still much work to be done. Eighteen states have never elected a woman governor, including California, Pennsylvania, and Florida.
New York elected Kathy Hochul in 2021, the first woman governor in the state’s history. Meanwhile, Arizona stands as a national record-holder, electing Katie Hobbs as its fifth female governor. However, despite this progress, the quality of female governors is mixed. For example, South Dakota’s incumbent governor, Kristi Noem, has been criticized for her unenthusiastic attitude towards Covid vaccinations.
But female governors, both incumbent and newly elected, can bring a different perspective to governance and prioritize issues that disproportionately affect women, such as childcare and sexual assault. Women governors are also more likely to be pro-choice, which is important as state governments have increasing power over reproductive rights.
Furthermore, women in politics have a long history of activism. The first two women ever elected to governor positions were Nellie Tayloe Ross and Miriam “Ma” Ferguson in 1925. Since then, there have been several other firsts, like Ella Grasso in Connecticut who was the first woman elected governor in her own right in 1974.
Overall, the progress that women have made in political leadership is something to be celebrated. However, there is still much work to be done, and the US needs to continue making strides towards gender parity in politics.
