News

Today we're releasing a new report, Parity Postponed: An analysis of women's representation and the 2022 election. While there were bright spots—for example, a record 12 women were elected governor—overall gains were smaller this year than in recent cycles.

As we reflect on 2021 and look ahead to the 2022 election, I am deeply grateful for the work our state and national partners are doing to normalize women’s political leadership and build a pipeline of diverse candidates.

Our twelve partner organizations are accelerating the pace of parity by empowering women to see themselves as leaders and equipping women with the skills to run and win. In 2020 alone they trained more than 36,000 women.

Exciting results from the primaries in two of Ascend's pilot states, Michigan and Washington: women will make up a higher percentage of state legislative candidates this November than last cycle!

This month, we announced $600,000 in grant funding to organizations in MI, MS, and WA. In reviewing the proposals submitted, we were struck by the pervasive funding gap faced by organizations working to build pathways to public office for women.

What. A. Week. While Americans fretted over the presidency, women across the country and up and down the ballot made history and broke records. The United States has elected its first female Vice President, Kamala Harris.

The horrific shootings in Uvalde, Buffalo, and so many other places across the country, the likely end of Roe v. Wade, and the alarming rise of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation have all weighed heavily on my mind and heart, and I’m sure on yours as well.

To date, we’ve invested almost $6 million in national organizations that share our commitment to electing more women. I’m excited to announce that this summer we will invest more than $500,000 in state-based organizations.

In a year filled with relentless challenges, economic anxiety, and alarming headlines, our partners consistently rose to the moment and guided women running for office through a pandemic, racial reckoning, and the most polarizing election in recent history.