After 12 years of Republican control of the House and 4 years of Republican control of the Senate, the Democrats won a clear majority of seats to gain control of the 110th Congress. In what will be a historic vote, the House Democratic Caucus is expected to elect Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the Democratic leader, to serve as the first woman Speaker of the House on November 16. The Source will cover the leadership elections in the House and Senate as they occur.
The 2006 election brought a record number of women to the House. At press time, ten new women had been elected, bringing the total number of women to 74, including three Delegates. Of that number, 21 are Republicans and 53 are Democrats. Additionally, a record 161 women were candidates for a seat in the House, including primary races. Seventy women, including three Delegates, serve in the 109th Congress. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) was defeated by Hank Johnson in the Democratic primary. Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) vacated her seat to make an unsuccessful bid for the Senate. Reps. Melissa Hart (R-PA), Nancy Johnson (R-CT), Sue Kelly (R-NY), and Anne Northup (R-KY) were defeated in their reelection bids.
On the Senate side, two new women were elected to the Senate, bringing the total number of women serving in the Senate to a record high of 16. All incumbent women senators successfully defended their seats.
At press time, election results in the races between Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-WY) and Gary Trauner, Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH) and Mary Jo Kilroy, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) and Victoria Wulsin, and Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM) and Patricia Madrid, had not been certified because sufficient numbers of absentee ballots remained uncounted or because the number of votes separating candidates was small enough to trigger state laws requiring a recount. The race between Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) and Karen Carter will be decided in a runoff election scheduled for December 9, 2006.
Women Newly Elected to the Senate
Sen.-elect Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) defeated Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-MN) in a contest for the seat vacated by Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN). She has served as the chief prosecutor for Hennepin County, Minnesota since 1999. Prior to that, she was in private practice and served in leadership positions with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights. She is expected to focus on access to health care, ethics reform, and children’s issues.
Sen.-elect Claire McCaskill (D-MO) defeated incumbent Sen. Jim Talent (R-MO) in a hard-fought race. She currently holds the position of state auditor. Before serving as auditor, she was the first woman prosecutor for Jackson County, Missouri. Retirement security, agriculture, and job creation have been her top priorities.
Women Newly Elected to the House
Rep.-elect Michele Bachmann (R-MN) defeated Patty Wetterling in a contest for the seat vacated by Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-MN). Prior to her election as a state senator in 2000, she was an attorney in private practice. She is expected to focus on reducing taxes, property rights, and children’s issues.
Rep.-elect Nancy Boyda (D-KS) defeated incumbent Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS) in a hard-fought race. She began her career as a chemist and inspector for the Environmental Protection Agency. Most recently, she served in management positions at several pharmaceutical companies. Her priorities are expected to be health care, improving science and technology education, and economic development.
Rep.-elect Kathy Castor (D-FL) defeated Eddie Adams Jr. in a contest for the seat vacated by Rep. Jim Davis (D-FL). Currently serving as a Hillsborough County Commissioner, she previously worked as assistant general counsel to the Florida Department of Community Affairs. She is expected to focus on increasing access to affordable health care and ethics reform.
Rep.-elect Yvette Clarke (D-NY) defeated Steven Finger in a contest for the seat vacated by Rep. Major Owens (D-NY). Formerly the business director of the Bronx Empowerment Zone, she currently serves as a member of the New York City Council and co-chairs the council’s Women’s Caucus. She has focused on early childhood education, domestic violence, and economic development for low-income families.
Rep.-elect Mary Fallin (R-OK) defeated David Hunter in a contest for the seat vacated by Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK). A former member of the state legislature, she became the first woman and first Republican Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in 1994. As Lt. Governor, she focused on small and women-owned business development, rural economic development, and health care.
Rep.-elect Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) defeated Randy Graf in a contest for the seat vacated by Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-AZ). In 2003, she became the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona Senate. Prior to winning election, she was president and chief executive officer of El Campo Tire, Inc. Health care, job creation, and the environment have been her top priorities.
Rep.-elect Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) defeated incumbent Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY). A former special counsel to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, she is an attorney in private practice. She is expected to focus on national security, economic development, and health care.
Rep.-elect Mazie Hirono (D-HI) defeated Bob Hogue in a contest for the seat vacated by Rep. Ed Case (D-HI). The former Lieutenant Governor also was a member of the state legislature where she was a founder of its Women’s Caucus. She is expected to focus on poverty reduction, women’s issues, and education.
Rep.-elect Betty Sutton (D-OH) defeated Craig Foltin in a race for the seat vacated by Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). An attorney in private practice, she previously served eight years in the state legislature. She is expected to focus on health care, elder issues, and workers’ rights.
Rep.-elect Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) defeated incumbent Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH). A social worker, she directed senior centers in Louisiana and Maryland. She is expected to focus on affordable housing, increasing access to health care, and job creation and training.
Women in Governorships
Ten women made gubernatorial bids in 2004. All incumbent women governors successfully defended their seats. Gov.-elect Sarah Palin (R-AK) defeated Tony Knowles who had served as governor from 1994-2002. Tying the record set in 2004, nine women will serve as governors in 2007, an increase from the eight women who serve in 2006.
