Barbara Lee
Family Foundation
Women incumbents face specific challenges when running for reelection. Against the conventional wisdom to “speak softly,” Staying Power shows that voters think highly of women who own their achievements and stand up to critics. With clear, specific communication about their records, women incumbents can connect with voters and help close the gender gap in political office.
As record numbers of women serve in public office, we are learning strategies for women incumbents seeking reelection. Staying Power shows that voters want a woman running for reelection to showcase her specific achievements in office–they will not assume she is doing a good job, nor simply take her word for it. Beyond addressing the issues in […]
Our research found that voters do not have strong opinions about lieutenant governors. This creates both an awareness obstacle, and an opportunity to define the role of lieutenant governor, for women in this position. The research provides an unprecedented look at how voters perceive women running for or serving as lieutenant governor. Key Findings: A […]
With more and more women running for office, races between women candidates will become the norm — not a novelty. Shared Hurdles reveals how candidates’ race, political party, and gender interact to influence voter opinion when more than one woman is on the ballot.
With more women than ever in elected office, more women are likely to face sexism on the campaign trail. Sexism in politics can take many forms, from double standards for women candidates, to undue criticisms of their appearance, voice, or clothing. The decisions of whether and how to address sexism can be complex to navigate for women candidates—involving questions about the candidate’s electability, how to deal with personal offense, and how to message about sexist incidents.