Cosmopolitan.com has reported that "almost a year after Donald Trump’s election to the Oval Office, Democrats continue to tout what they see as a silver lining of his victory: record numbers of women deciding to run for office. Emily’s List, a group that helps elect pro-choice Democratic women to office, reported in August that more than 16,000 women had expressed interest in running since Trump won, and Emerge America, a group that recruits and trains Democratic women, said last month it had seen an 87 percent increase in applications to its programs. In July, She Should Run, a nonpartisan organization devoted to helping more women attain public office, launched a campaign to spur 250,000 women to run for office by 2030."
And yet, in a Cosmopolitan.com survey and “How to Run for Office” package which launched this week, the comprehensive, 16-piece package included surprising results. Namely, that the 2016 election discouraged women from running for office.
The survey of 3,813 adults over the age of 18 found that 15% of women were discouraged from running for office because of the election, versus just 10% who were encouraged. On the other hand, men were more encouraged (17%) than discouraged (13%). Men 18-34 were the most likely to consider running for public office now or in the future (26%), whereas women 35-64 were the least likely (9%).
Part of the reasoning likely includes that 72% of women think it's harder to get elected as a woman and that they are held to a higher standard. We can't argue with that.
Still, it's not exactly what we wanted to hear. However, the package also includes practical tools, advice, and op-eds from notable female politicians and former candidates – including Martha McSally, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Muriel Bowser, Letitia James and Wendy Davis – to encourage more women to run for elected office.
How do you feel about running? Would you throw your hat in the ring to change the world? Let us know in the comments below. And check out the full findings here.
