If you examine the Nov. 2 election results on a national scale, you might think they are anything but uniform. Some states re-elected their Democratic governors while others swung Republican; centrist candidates won Democratic races in some places as progressives fared well in others. Police reform was on the ballot in Minneapolis but failed to pass, while other municipalities elected candidates staunchly in favor of the Green New Deal.
But if you take a look at the breadth of candidates who emerged victorious on Tuesday, one fact does emerge as uniform: Women of color consistently walked away with barrier-breaking wins. Winsome Sears is the first woman of color to be elected lieutenant governor of Virginia. Michelle Wu is the first woman of color to be elected mayor of Boston. In nearby Kansas, Janeth Vasquez became the first Latina elected to the city commission of Liberal.
It is clear that voters want more women of color in office. And after being historically excluded from elected positions for centuries, it is refreshing to see these women take their rightful place as the leaders of legislative bodies.
As a voter myself, I know the importance of diverse representation in public office. Women, particularly women of color, bring new and sorely needed perspectives to their elected positions. The U.S. is the only industrialized nation without paid family leave. Here in Missouri, our education system is suffering and rural health care access is dwindling. We need more women in office who understand these needs and, perhaps more importantly, have experienced them firsthand.
You do not have to look very far to see the positive impacts of women of color in office.
Missouri’s first Black congresswoman, Cori Bush, made waves earlier this year when she camped out on the U.S. Capitol steps to protest the end of the eviction freeze. Just days after Bush’s protest, the moratorium was reinstated. Tishaura Jones, the first Black woman mayor of St. Louis, has increased funding for social programs and reformed the city’s Civilian Oversight Board for police complaints. I often say that when women run for office and win, we all win. These women of color in office are evidence of that.
The past few years have been a whirlwind of political pendulum swings, but amid the partisan vitriol and inner-party conflicts, one fact has remained the same: Voters want more women of color in office. From all sides of the aisle, more and more women of color are winning primaries and general elections because voters know they bring important experiences to the table. There is no doubt that more women of color in office will legislate change to improve our communities. We can only hope this trend of equitable progress will continue.
Amanda Morrison is the founder and executive director of Missouri M.A.D.E.: Mobilizing And Diversifying Elections. Originally from Springfield, she previously worked for former U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill and Women’s Campaign International. Amanda was a 2018 Mount Vernon Leadership Fellow and a 2020 TechStars Social Impact Fellow.
