CHICAGO – More Republican women than ever are seeking House seats this year thanks to a reenergized recruitment effort after their limited ranks in Congress diminished even further in the 2018 election.
But any gains in November could be modest. Many of these roughly 200 candidates are running in safe Democratic districts. In friendlier Republican territory, some have struggled to win primaries and are facing long-standing challenges, including fundraising, that the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated.
That's left some of these women questioning their party's commitment to the effort and warning about longer-term effects. “If you don’t have a Republican woman running in a winnable seat, it doesn’t really matter,” said Julie Conway, a