How Women Led the Way as the GOP Made Gains in the House

The GOP will have a record number of female members in the new Congress.

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One of the ancillary effects of the Democrats gaining 41 seats and taking control of the House in the 2018 midterms was that it left the GOP with its fewest number of female representatives in 25 years. Only 13 Republican women out of 52 won their races, and up-and-coming figures like Mimi Walters and Mia Love were not among them. How long would it take for the party to recover?

Not long, as this election cycle proved. At least 28 Republican women won House races this year, and they made up an overwhelming majority of the flipped seats in the chamber. While much attention has been paid to extremist candidates like Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia and Lauren Boebert in Colorado, the other incoming female Republicans include entrepreneurs, seasoned journalists, and career public servants.

Despite months of polling to the contrary, Republicans—through grassroots recruitment, campaigning, and fundraising—flipped up to 14 House seats. And women won at least nine of those races. (Mariannette Miller-Meeks is expected to win Iowa’s 2nd District but after a recount her lead is only six votes.) 

They won by touting their commitment to economic growth, slashing regulations, and promoting industries important to their district. And in some cases by connecting their opponents to the Democratic party’s far-left fringes. Maria Elvira Salazar unseated Rep. Donna Shalala in Florida’s 27th District by decrying socialism, while Nicole Malliotakis successfully aligned Democratic incumbent Max Rose in New York’s 11th District with progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the minds of voters.

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  1. Daniel Rabiner

    "Like many critics of the extra $600 in unemployment benefits per week, Mace pointed out that the payments deterred workers from seeking new employment, citing firsthand encounters with lowcountry restaurants struggling to restaff following shutdowns.

    “We are the greatest country in the world and our success is dependent upon our freedom and our ability to be productive members of society,” she said. “People want to live, work, and retire in the best place in the world.”"

    Didn't realize that people choosing not to get covid by going back to a restaurant job is not freedom of choice.

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    Show Jay Janney the 🚪!

    There's still a race to be called, the Republican is leading by roughly a dozen votes. It's almost December and they're still counting? Is it really that hard?

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  3. Jennifer Stanowski

    Nice article. I look forward to following what these ladies do in the future.

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  4. Nathan

    Now to get the first woman POTUS elected - Haley

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      Johntadian

      That's quite a jump for a new intern. Is she even old enough to run?

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    2. Mary

      Oh my, her 4 years of sycophancy are unforgettable.....gotta pass on that one.

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        David Chen

        If it has to be a Republican woman, Haley seems better than the alternatives. She largely straddled a line between obligatory sycophancy and staying away from having to commit to full MAGA, though I think it's gotten worse as time goes on and as she is trying to position herself to run for president. But unless there's a female version of Ben Sasse I don't know about, at least she articulates American values well and is trying to stay out off the election fraud banana-boat.

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          Kmregan7

          I used to think Collins or rather, a Collins-like woman, would do well. Unfortunately, the senators have been tainted with McConnell's actions, as well as ties to Trump. I think it will need to be a newcomer.

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      Dan

      As a liberal who voted for Biden, I can get behind that. The first female governor of South Carolina who took on the KKK and the white nationalists in her state with grace, tact, and steel. I don't agree with a lot of her policies, and I'm sure she'll make me grit my teeth multiple times. That said, it would be awesome to see a Republican woman break that glass ceiling, particularly one who can work across the aisle when needed.

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        David Chen

        I want to see the Dems contort themselves trying to explain how she's not really a 'woman' the way they've been trying to explain Republican gains with Hispanics as "they are actually white people."

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        Justin Perry-Naw Dawg Doctrine

        Also really liked how she shot down the bathroom ban bill stuff.

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    Victor Clairmont

    It’s a nice stepping stone forward for the gop and America as a whole should qualified women run in either party. If they can do the job and do it well, more power to them.

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