Important, historic wins from this election cycle.
Originally published by Brooke D. Anderson for Pivitol Ventures
Pivotal’s work to build women’s political power is personal to me.
I spent most of my career in government and national security, where I was often one of only a few women in the room—and sometimes the only one. I know firsthand what is lost when women aren’t present where decisions are made.
That’s why I am excited about all of the women who ran, won, and made history this November—and why I’m optimistic that bringing more diverse perspectives into government and policymaking will drive progress for everyone.
While the results of the presidential campaign have dominated recent news coverage, let’s make sure some important trendlines don’t get lost beneath the headlines.
Milestones in Congress
Until this year, only two Black women had ever been elected to the United States Senate. But the election of Maryland’s Angela Alsobrooks and Delaware’s Lisa Blunt Rochester has doubled that number to four. What’s more, when the 119th Congress is called into session, it will be the first time that two Black women are serving in the U.S. Senate simultaneously.
This election also saw two important milestones for LGBTQ+ representation: Sarah McBride of Delaware became the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, and Julie Johnson of Texas became the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from the South.
We still have a long way to go before our Congress truly reflects the country it represents. But these important milestones are unprecedented steps toward that goal.