• Home
  • Opinion
  • Quizzes
  • Redistricting
  • Sections
  • About Us
  • Voting
  • Events
  • Civic Ed
  • Campaign Finance
  • Directory
  • Election Dissection
  • Fact Check
  • Glossary
  • Independent Voter News
  • News
  • Analysis
  • Subscriptions
  • Log in
Leveraging Our Differences
  • news & opinion
    • Big Picture
      • Civic Ed
      • Ethics
      • Leadership
      • Leveraging big ideas
      • Media
    • Business & Democracy
      • Corporate Responsibility
      • Impact Investment
      • Innovation & Incubation
      • Small Businesses
      • Stakeholder Capitalism
    • Elections
      • Campaign Finance
      • Independent Voter News
      • Redistricting
      • Voting
    • Government
      • Balance of Power
      • Budgeting
      • Congress
      • Judicial
      • Local
      • State
      • White House
    • Justice
      • Accountability
      • Anti-corruption
      • Budget equity
    • Columns
      • Beyond Right and Left
      • Civic Soul
      • Congress at a Crossroads
      • Cross-Partisan Visions
      • Democracy Pie
      • Our Freedom
  • Pop Culture
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
      • American Heroes
      • Ask Joe
      • Celebrity News
      • Comedy
      • Dance, Theatre & Film
      • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
      • Faithful & Mindful Living
      • Music, Poetry & Arts
      • Sports
      • Technology
      • Your Take
  • events
  • About
      • Mission
      • Advisory Board
      • Staff
      • Contact Us
Sign Up
  1. Home>
  2. women>

Could 2022 be the year we finally surpass our record for women governors?

Jazmin Sanchez
October 31, 2022
Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is heavily favored to be the next governor of Arkansas and could help set a record for women governors.

Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Sanchez is a former intern for RepresentWomen.

I am hopeful for the remainder of 2022.

I hope this line in itself is captivating enough to entice readers to continue; how could one be so optimistic about a year filled with devastating Supreme Court decisions and a series of mass shootings? This may very well be the year of the woman governor – and that is all the reassurance I need to brighten the last few months of the year.

Since America’s birth 246 years ago, only 45 women have served as governor; 42 of whom have been white women and only three being women of color. Today, nine women hold gubernatorial office – six Democrats and three Republicans. Lou Leon Guerrero currently serves as governor in the U.S. territory Guam. Black and Native women have never been elected as governor. Nineteen states have never had a woman governor.


Despite these bleak statistics, RepresentWomen analyzed the upcoming gubernatorial elections and it looks like 2022 could be the year of the woman governor.

Why have we had so few women governors, and why does it matter?

The U.S. electoral system is designed to keep women from holding office. Women have to work much harder than men at convincing donors and the electorate that they are well-equipped for the intricacies of public office. Political action committees and donors also fund women less. Women simply work harder to win, yet do not win as often as men.

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

Women govern differently than men. Women in public office tend to encourage bipartisanship and be more collaborative. In addition, women having a seat at the table works to promote the idea of their standing in public office and begins a domino effect of more female representation within leadership positions.

Having women address issues that directly affect women is imperative for the future of our democracy. Electing more women into office can bring back a sense of humanity to politics. This is what Americans truly need.

Not only do we celebrate having more women serve in state-level elected office, but we know gender balance in appointed positions is a key ingredient to building women’s political power. RepresentWomen is proud to have released “Gender Balanced Cabinets: Where We Stand & Why It Matters” in anticipation of the gubernatorial elections this November. We found that women are not equally present in most state cabinets, but that women governors are more likely to appoint gender balanced cabinets. We call on all 2022 gubernatorial candidates to signal to their communities that they value women’s voices and perspectives by committing to appointing a diverse and gender balanced cabinet.

2022: Year of the Woman Governor

This November the United States will hold gubernatorial elections in 36 states and three territories. Current predictions show some interesting and forward-looking results.

Strong shots:

  • All nine of the states with a woman governor are in cycle this year. Seven of the incumbents are likely to win reelection: Republican Kay Ivey of Alabama, Republican Kim Reynolds of Iowa, Democrat Kathy Hochul of New York and Republican Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Democrat Janet Mills of Maine, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico.
  • Oregon’s governor, Kate Brown, has fulfilled her term limit and will be replaced by another woman. Democrat Tina Kotek, unaffiliated Betsy Johnson, and Republican Chrstine Drazan are all running, marking the first time in Oregon’s history that the top three candidates for governor are women.
  • Either Democrat Katie Hobbs or Republican Kari Lake will win in Arizona.
  • Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders has a large lead in Arkansas, just as Democrat Maura Healey does in Massachusetts.

If all those odds hold up, we have 11 women governors. But that’s not all.

Good odds:

  • Democrat Laura Kelly has a very good chance of winning reelection in Kansas.
  • All eyes are on Georgia, where Democrat Stacey Abrams is making another run.

If either of them win, we should have a new record.

Some long shots – but you never know:

  • Colorado has never had a female governor, so history will be made if Republican nominee Heidi Ganahl gains the seat this election.
  • In Ohio and Vermont, we have two Democratic nominees running against heavily favored Republican incumbents.

More 2022 women candidates.

Be a part of the solution

The 2022 gubernatorial elections could send a message to the nation that women are leaders in U.S. politics who use their power responsibly and for the betterment of the nation. So, it is imperative that you vote and join us in demanding that your gubernatorial candidates appoint diverse, gender-balanced cabinets.

Check to see if your state is holding a gubernatorial election and make sure you are registered to vote. Use our Appointments Equip Toolkit to access tools that help you be a part of the solution in building women’s political power.

As a Texan, I am looking forward to voting and demanding a gender-balanced cabinet this November! See you all at the polls.

From Your Site Articles
  • Women make strides in government, but still far from parity - The ... ›
  • More women should be preparing to run for election right now - The ... ›
  • Some states may elect women to the top two jobs in 2022 - The ... ›
  • Hochul's rise spotlights barriers to women becoming governor - The ... ›
Related Articles Around the Web
  • The Midterms Could Set A New Record For Female Governors ... ›
  • It May Be a Great Year for Women Governors ›
  • There are just 9 female governors. Both parties want change ... ›
  • History of Women Governors ›
women

Join an Upcoming Event

STAR Voting Massachusetts Monthly Meeting

Equal Vote
Mar 21, 2023 at 7:00 pm EST
Read More

Democracy Happy Hour

Fix Democracy First
Mar 22, 2023 at 5:00 pm PDT
Read More

Introduction to Living Room Conversations

Living Room Conversations
Mar 23, 2023 at 3:00 pm PDT
Read More

MWEG 6th Annual Spring Conference

Mormon Women for Ethical Government
Mar 25, 2023 at 9:00 am MDT
Read More

Bravery in Motion: Understanding Women’s History

Peace Through Action USA
Mar 27, 2023 at 7:00 pm EDT
Read More

Truth & Democracy, Session 3 of 3: Education

Interactivity Foundation
Mar 29, 2023 at 2:00 pm EDT
Read More
View All Events

Want to write
for The Fulcrum?

If you have something to say about ways to protect or repair our American democracy, we want to hear from you.

Submit
Get some Leverage Sign up for The Fulcrum Newsletter
Follow
Contributors

Reform in 2023: Leadership worth celebrating

Layla Zaidane

Two technology balancing acts

Dave Anderson

Reform in 2023: It’s time for the civil rights community to embrace independent voters

Jeremy Gruber

Congress’ fix to presidential votes lights the way for broader election reform

Kevin Johnson

Democrats and Republicans want the status quo, but we need to move Forward

Christine Todd Whitman

Reform in 2023: Building a beacon of hope in Boston

Henry Santana
Jerren Chang
latest News

Podcast: Break out of your bubble: Talk to a stranger

Our Staff
1m

Podcast: Inequitable ability: Electoral and civic challenges faced by those with disabilities

Our Staff
17h

Is reform the way out of extremism?

Mindy Finn
22h

Changing pastimes

Rabbi Charles Savenor
22h

Political blame game: Never let a good crisis go to waste

David L. Nevins
20 March

Tipping points

Jeff Clements
20 March
Videos

Video: The hidden stories in the U.S. Census

Our Staff

Video: We asked conservatives at CPAC what woke means

Our Staff

Video: DeSantis, 18 states to push back against Biden ESG agenda

Our Staff

Video: A conversation with Tiahna Pantovich

Our Staff

Video: What would happen if Trump was a third-party candidate in 2024?

Our Staff

Video: How the Federal Reserve is the shadow branch of the government

Our Staff
Podcasts

Podcast: Break out of your bubble: Talk to a stranger

Our Staff
1m

Podcast: Inequitable ability: Electoral and civic challenges faced by those with disabilities

Our Staff
17h

Podcast: A tricky dance

Our Staff
14 March

Podcast: Kevin, Tucker and wokism, oh my!

Debilyn Molineaux
David Riordan
13 March
Recommended
Podcast: Break out of your bubble: Talk to a stranger

Podcast: Break out of your bubble: Talk to a stranger

Podcasts
Podcast: Inequitable ability: Electoral and civic challenges faced by those with disabilities

Podcast: Inequitable ability: Electoral and civic challenges faced by those with disabilities

Podcasts
Is reform the way out of extremism?

Is reform the way out of extremism?

Threats to democracy
Changing pastimes

Changing pastimes

Civic Ed
Video: The hidden stories in the U.S. Census

Video: The hidden stories in the U.S. Census

Political blame game: Never let a good crisis go to waste

Political blame game: Never let a good crisis go to waste

Big Picture