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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 3 a.m. ET: The Year of the Woman, 1992, was declared a triumph when the number of women in the Senate increased to six.
Cheryl Senter / AP file
Now that Maggie Hassan has been elected as governor of New Hampshire, her state will assume the distinction of being the only state with a woman governor and an all-female Congressional delegation (two senators and one congresswoman). Washington state passed on a version of that baton on Tuesday night, as Gov. Chris Gregoire is retiring and the two candidates running for her position are men.
This year, the so-called "War on Women" energized Democrats to break a record for the number of women-held seats in the Senate. Nineteen women are in the Senate now, one more than the record set during the last Congress.
Among them are Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren who became the first female senator of Massachusetts when she ousted Sen. Scott Brown; Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay senator, who edged out former Governor Tommy Thompson in Wisconsin; and incumbent Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who beat Republican Todd Akin whose comments about rape were likely his demise.
No one disputes there remains a dramatic gender gap in Congress, where women make up just 17 percent of the House and the Senate. But women have slowly gained political power since 1991, when there were just two women in the Senate.
The new U.S. Senate will have a record number of women, ranging from the first Asian-American woman elected -- to consumer advocate and Harvard professor Elizabeth Warren. NBC's Andrea Mitchell reports.
NBC has also confirmed that Deb Fischer, a Republican, beat former Sen. Bob Kerrey in Nebraska, that Democrat Mazie Hirono in Hawaii beat Linda Lingle, becoming the Senate's first Asian-American woman.
Among incumbents, Sens. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Dianne Feinstein of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Maria Cantwell of Washington state won reelection by wide margins.
Also significant: Roughly half the 33 Senate races had a viable female candidate, more than ever before, according to NPR. That’s noteworthy because women less often seek out office or have more trouble raising campaign money.
Shannon Stapleton / Reuters
Elizabeth Warren waves to supporters before voting at the Graham and Park School 44 in Cambridge, Mass.
“There’s no group that will be impacted more by this election than women,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said on her website. “Look at the bills the GOP House has passed this Congress: they voted to redefine rape, they voted to defund Planned Parenthood and Title X funding.”
Gillibrand herself easily won re-election over Republican Wendy Long.
There will be fewer female governors after this election, however. There are currently six women governors out of 50, and Govs. Chris Gregoire of Washington and Bev Perdue of North Carolina, both Democrats, are retiring.
American University professor Jen Lawless discusses how Elizabeth Warren's win in the Massachusetts senate race will impact other women candidates.
Gregoire’s retirement means Washington state will lose its distinction of having a female governor and two female senators at the same time. Now that Democrat Maggie Hassan has been elected governor, New Hampshire will assume that distinction -- and then some: the state's governor and Congressional delegation is female, EMILY's List posted Tuesday night.
"We've always had a tradition of a lot of women running for office in New Hampshire," New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, told NBC's Brian Williams on Tuesday.
Washington Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat who was first elected in the Year of the Woman, served as the party’s chief recruiter, seeking out qualified women and capitalizing on the "war on women" in a speech she made at the Democratic convention in early September.
(Murray was not up for re-election this cycle.)
Office of Sen. Maria Cantwell
This photo, hanging in Sen. Maria Cantwell's lobby in Washington, D.C., shows Cantwell, left, Gov. Chris Gregoire, center, and Sen. Patty Murray touring Washington state flood damage in 2009.
Murray recruited Baldwin and Shelley Berkley of Nevada, who was running against Dean Heller.
"When we started this campaign, no one, and I mean no one gave us a chance," said Murray on Tuesday night, according to the Huffington Post. "But we went out and built the best Senate campaigns in the history of the country. We recruited some of the highest quality candidates, including a record number of women. Democrats never let up and now we will retain our majority in the United States Senate."
Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Campaigning with Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, voting and election results.
McCaskill, the incumbent, was in danger of losing her seat until Akin said in a television interview that "legitimate" rape would not result in a pregnancy, because the female body “has ways to try to shut the whole thing down.”
His comments, decried as sexist and out of touch, returned McCaskill to the game.
In the month after Akin made those remarks, EMILY's List, which supports women candidates, raised $2.3 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. After another rape comment, made by another GOP candidate, EMILY’s List raised another $631,000.
In New York, Gillibrand made women’s issues a theme in her re-election campaign. One ad opens with her pointing out that she is one of the only female senators with young children.
Her ad concludes: “I’m Kirsten Gillibrand and I approve this message, because if 51 percent of Congress were women, we wouldn’t be debating contraception, we would be debating jobs and the economy.”
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Any Supreme Court vacancy in the next 4 years is safely in the hands of the people and not the "right to rule, old white men's club".............we the people really, really won last night.....!
This election was about black, hispanic and asain versus white. Plain and simple. Why sugar coat it?
Well part of the election was definitely about recognizing the changing demographics of American society, no doubt about it. What of it?
Fred, I've heard quite a few analysts say that one of the biggest pushes Obama got was from the "suburban moms". So, I guess now we can mark it down to white men vs. the rest of the country. And if you read some of the comments left of several news blogs, you'll realize that's pretty much the way EVERBODY is now viewing this...the Republicans lost because they failed to realize they were alienating too many demographics to win.
And Fred...I'm sure we all get what you're trying to say, but as with anything, the way you say it can affect how people respond to you. You coming across as a sore-loser, blame throwing whiner simply makes folks want to go "Nyah-Nyah".
Some people are happy today. I am worried and depressed. See if you recognize this country, or the world, in four years. Look for global economic depression, long waits for medical care, rationed medicine where seniors over a set age will not be treated, nuclear war in the middle east, greatly increased global terrorism, anarchy and riots here and abroad, and possibly Texas seceding from the US (all they need is a 51% referendum vote). Don't forget that in socialism the rich get poorer, but the poor get even poorer as there is no one to pay for the free stuff, or willing to work for something that will be taken away. Oh yes, as the government prints more and more paper money to pay for things that it can't afford, all of your life savings will evaporate. You can be happy today, but our children and grandchildren will be paying a huge price. And this country had a civil war 150 years ago over states rights - will it happen again?
Fred seriously... None of those things are going to happen.
There will never be a another civil war in the country.
All I can say is WOW!
wher ma sekond term obama rubbirs..is got reproductive writes...Yo
Butterfly, that's sad, really...
Real men have no problem voting for strong women. Real men have no problem treating women as their equals in all facets of life and real men have no problem letting women make their own reproductive choices.
It seems that once again most of the arguments against equal pay or abortion or reproductive choices, etc., have a religious basis. Well, as I stated time and time again, while you are welcome to have and hold on to your religious beliefs as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, you have no right to impose them on me or anyone else.
It seems like many voters believe that as well, that we should not let our religious convictions be imposed on others who may not share them. After all, this is not a theocracy.
Your comment is one of the most intelligent to date. AS a HUMAN being I couldn't agree more
"We should not let our religious convictions be imposed on others.....After all this is not a theocracy"
LaDole---That's right genius--it's socialist and don't you forget it because I am having your socialism imposed on me.
I could care less if a woman or man gets elected so long as they are normal and balanced. We just have a huge issue in America with the whole abortion thing which is too bad because I'm not sure voting for a woman just because she's a feminist is all that great for society. But whatever. The male GOP freaks lost due to to their own inability to keep their radical social views to themselves. People like Maggie Hassan are worse though in the long run. But as long as the GOP legislature keeps her in check, NH won't become like California. Going forward the GOP needs to just shut up about their desire to overthrow Roe V Wade. Unfortunately, there are a lot of voters out here who will vote for someone based on one issue. Sad, but true. In any event, it was nice to see Maine elect an Independent candidate to the Senate. This whole two party system is getting old and irritating anyway
While Richard Mourdock was not opposed by a woman, his defeat was yet another achievement by women and for women. Also, Mitt's lukewarm response to Rush Limbaugh's assault on Sandra Fluke cost him among some college age women and better-educated women as well. The religious right doesn''t get women at all, thinking of us as homemakers or sexual objects (not partners, which is a symmetrical relationship) and the religious right wrote their own defeat.
I have sat silently for months reading the comments of intelligent, and not so intelligent people. I used to consider myself republican, but I think its a great day for America! I'm ashamed of what they have become. The more freedom WE THE PEOPLE have, the better, as far as I'm concerned. That 18th century mentality, and mixing religion with politics, and holding back science, has got to go!
Mitch;
Interesting comments. The party screams for the return of the "Reagan Democrats" while the real issue is the Obama Republicans. I too cannot continue to support what the party has become. This vote was the second Democratic vote I have ever cast over 12 ( I think) presidential elections.
I would love to aid in an effort to return it to some form of civility and greatness like it was 70's and 80's. They (we) were hit over the head with a 2x4 last night I hope the intelligent quotient wakes up.
Couldn't have said it better. Good going
For a few minutes I am going to lose my sanity and speak as a crap eating repugant. First of all nah nah nah nah,get over it we the people won. I say crap eating because you swallow all the crap those idiots put in your little brains. There are only two kind of repugants, filthy rich and the down right ignorant. Start looking at your American history and see which party has done the most damage the past 50 years. It sure as hell isn't the dems.
By the way did anyone notice the headquartes of both candidates ? Sure was all white and rich at the twits side of things, I saw many different faces black, white oriental etc. on Mr. Obama's side of things. I am soo proud of America today and those who used their heads instaed of their wallets and lack of brains. God bless America and MY President for the next four years.
People who work hard and do well in life, pay their own way and pay taxes so others don't starve, so, they have a place to live and can go to school are the people making the life-styles of many of the people you saw at the democratic headquaters possible--how can you not see and understand that? It is the people using their brains and their wallets that make all of this possible.
Who do you think pays the most--people with little money?--I knowIknow--- the people who are better off don't deserve it no matter hard they worked--they never pay enough---even when they are taxed out of their homes to pay for social programs-- it is never enough. The more that is given for free the more people think that is the way it is supposed to be and they never stop wanting more.
God help us financially for the next four years.
Republicans with Mad Men attitudes aren't going to make it any longer. This is 21st century 2012 and not 1960's! They either have to change or just fade away into the sunset...either way the country will be better off when it happens?
I'm curious to know exactly what you mean - can you explain yourself in detail?
Askabouttet... I think Jgoing was talking about the TV show Mad Men which portrays an advertising firm in New York in the 60s, an environment in which women were routinely held back, sexually harassed and used as sex objects, where men can and will have plenty of women on the side, while outwardly upholding the mythos of the sanctity of their marriage, where homemakers often self-medicated, where women were expected to marry and have children and not think for or have a career for themselves.
haha. I know. I was just curious if Jgoing felt the same about democrats that have Mad Men mentalities, or if he thinks Mitt Romney actually believes all women should stay home and take care of the house or something.
Is Jgoingtalking about the "war on women?" and if so, and he believes there is a war on women, isn't it happening under Obama's presidency?
I just wanted Jgoing to explain because I figured it was just spewed rhetoric, categorizing and stereotyping all republicans into a few fictional characters on a TV show.
what ever happened to that crazy tea party broad from Delaware from back a few years ago?
War on Women? What war? In the U.S. That is a myth put out by the liberal socialist Democrats and what is sad is that it WORKED.
There is no one standing in any woman's way if she wants any thing from a top paying job to an abortion.
Not even religious nuts have much to say any more what a woman can and can not do in this country. They threw those chains off years ago.
The religious nuts think they still have a say, but in reality, a woman will go her own way every time.
AND she can do it without being killed by stoning or being checked for being a virgin.
Steven;
Your post goes exactly to the heart of the Republican Parties problem. THERE IS a war own women IN THE PARTY. We have brainwashed a complete segment of the party to myopically believe that there is. To that segment it is paramount because we let it be. That is the same with almost every other issue that is being claimed as "MADE UP" by the Democrats. It started subtly before the Tea Party just at the end of Reagan's second term and slowly grew the Tea Party blew it wide open.
The War on Women
Abortion restrictions
State legislatures enacted 135 pieces of legislation affecting women's reproductive rights.
Mandatory ultrasounds
Critics have questioned the value of having a medically unnecessary procedure.
Gestational limits on abortion
No exceptions for rape, incest or health of the woman.
Defining the beginning of human personhood
Critics of the initiative indicated that the law would have made abortion illegal in cases where the mother’s life is in danger.
South Dakota state legislators considered a bill that would change that state's definition of justifiable homicide to allow the killing of abortion providers.
In Arizona, doctors who don't inform mothers about prenatal problems would not be liable for malpractice. The Kansas House passed a similar bill in March 2012, shielding doctors from malpractice suits if they don't tell mothers their children have birth defects.
A Kansas bill passed March 2012 requires doctors to warn women seeking abortions that they are linked to breast cancer, a claim that has been refuted by the medical community.
In April 2012, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed into law a bill requiring doctors who prescribe the medical abortion pill to have three meetings with patients or be subject to felony charges.
Missouri Senator Roy Blunt proposed an amendment (the Blunt Amendment) that would have "allowed employers to refuse to include contraception in health care coverage if it violated their religious or moral beliefs.
Defunding Planned Parenthood
Under the language of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act , only cases of "forcible rape" or child sexual abuse would have qualified.
Todd Akin -"Legitimate Rape"
Richard Mourdock - "I think even if life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."
Tom Smith, the Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, compared pregnancy from rape to pregnancy out of wedlock.
Republicans opposed the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act.
In October 2011, the City Council in Topeka, Kansas, facing a budget crisis, decriminalized domestic violence.
In February 2011, House Republicans proposed a budget that would cut $758 million from WIC.
In April 2012, Governor Scott Walker signed into law an act that repealed Wisconsin's Equal Pay Enforcement Act.
Republican State Senator Glenn Grothman said of the repeal, "You could argue that money is more important for men. I think a guy in their first job, maybe because they expect to be a breadwinner someday, may be a little more money-conscious."
The Republican party has alienated everyone except White men and the Christian religious nuts. Guess what? There are a lot of other people out here. This is your lesson. Learn from it.
You think that was alienation? Also, what are your thoughts on minority, women, and non-christian republicans? Or do you believe none exist?
Apparently there aren't enough of those or Romney would have won, right? The results speak for themselves.
Indiana will have two Congresswomen for the first time - both Republicans.
New Hampshire is now has an all-woman Congressional delegation and the nation's only female Democratic Governor.
mailman8 no worries. They'll snap out of it in a couple years...
True, Obuma's ugly, divisive war on women may have helped Democrats politically, but it also tears apart the already tattered fabric of a nation. Well done, libs.
see post 62.1
nmbg, instead of lame rhetoric please give us some examples of the President's "war on women". Or did you mean he created an army of women? Because if that's what you did mean then that falls on the Republicans.
But I seriously doubt that the Republican leadership are man enough to even admit there bad behavior not only to women, but to most of the 47% and minorities. That would take some courage and we know how empty that tank is...
Slash and burn politics by the civility police. Nice job, libs.
I think its intersting how people want to come in and put their two cents about oh, ya'll are sinners, for abortion, for gay rights, etc, yet the southers amongst other "CHRISTIANS" cant get bigotry and racism out of their mouths and continue to bash and talk bad about people who are not "like them". Get over it. If you are a true Christian you SHOULD ACCEPT EVERYONE AND LOVE ALL EQUAL!!! Anyways, Obama is in office and that says something. If he was SO BAD in running our country, Romney would be our President and not Obama. :)
We also should correct people in love.
It's scary to even think that, in 2012, we even had to have the discussion on whether or not rape is bad. Thankfully the voters have swept out those who defend it as "legitimate" or "god's will."
Cameron, and equal pay for crying out loud. But the right wing nuts are now spinning like Dervishes and trying to put the blame on the left. If that's not pathetic I don't know what is!
Of course, there really is a war on women and feminity, perpetuated by liberal progressives. Under their watch, minors can get free birth control and abortions, and are protected by privacy laws. This leaves our younger and younger daughters, whom we should treasure and protect, available for older predators. In addition, traditional female roles of homemaking and motherhood are considered outdated, and women have been talked into leaving their children for daycare organizations to herd about, and raise. Yep, men no longer have to be responsible for any children they may create - simply abort those annoying inconveniences! And women can have indiscriminate sex without any concerns about whether or not the man involved has any interest in their well being or the well being of any "oopsy" children they may create together. We've come along way, baby, thanks to the progressive movement.
God bless America, only the right can take something like women's rights and spin a bad flavor over to the left and actually believe it.
Here's you Republican lifetime membership card.
You do not understand women, respect us or represent who and what we are. We have not been "talked" into anything. We love our jobs. Do you think we can not make good choices on our own? Our daughters are taught about birth control, make it available to them, be open to helping them make decision about their bodies. "Traditional roles" are changing. We have wonderful Mothers and Fathers taking on different roles. Gay men can have children, Lesbian women can have children, single women or men can have children. They are all families. Stop trying to protect through laws, scare tactics, and bigotry, it does not work.
Its been a long time coming but I think the women spoke last night. In our tiny town, a women won over a male mayor, and a strong liberal women pushed out a conservative male for council. This is huge in a tiny conservative male dominated town. We women banded together and threw the men out, it felt so good this morning to get together and celebrate. We all voted for Obama because he would keep planned parenthood and signed the Lilly Ledbetter Act. The men are livid, they all voted for Romney but a few like my husband. What a happy day this is for America.
planned parenthood.... a euphemism for abortion mills........get your free abortions libbies!!! ..do us all a favor...
Have you ever visited planned parenthood, or worked at planned parenthood. What is your background for this statement. What do you know about the organization and what it does for women. It does not do any good to scream and yell about something that is postive for women. Once again, you lost, get out of the way.
hey lib women??..now that you have this ass president for another four years, do us all a favor and use your free abortion access to abort your liberal babies...i am generally opposed to abortion but in this case i would make an exception....it would be the best thing you could do for our nation......feckin' morons....
This why you lost the election. Thank you for a perfect example for us.
Now women will not have to be tattooed, U.S. Government Property.
When are the Republicans going to move out of the dark ages and realize we ALL were not born with a silver spoon in our mouths..
Elizabeth Warren Elected. History is made for Women. Teddy Kennedy is smiling today: story/2012/11/07/1157750/-Elizabeth-Warren-Elected-History-is-made-for-Women-Teddy-Kennedy-is-smiling-today
Yes Elizabeth Rocks! Now if we can finish off "west"!
My repost to share this morning:
The GOP are not trainable and they don't listen. How many months did we push back on their war on women and we who voted against them are the same ones that showed up at occupy events,showed up at state houses to protest anti-women legislation and blogged in defiance of their "whole program".
THEY JUST DON'T GET IT! We believe in liberty too! And we'll fight for it on a dime! If you are the one trying to take our freedoms (that we've earned in the last 30 years), you are not going to get our vote-not only that, but we will take the fight to you not cower in "our place you have reserved for us."
The women we elected will stand up and be heard and not be walked on and over, by the dirty ol' men of the Congress. We should have done better in the house. Well next time...
If they can't govern without flucking over 2/3rds of the country they are gone at the ballot box! We don't reward the inappropriate behavior that we've seen for 4 years fighting everything that will help this economy while voting time after time to deal with my uterus-that they will never control, and trying to fit their stupid religious doctrines in my vagina. If every man had to have a rectal exam to be able to vote or get that viagra---this crap would stop!!
Until the GOP learns to keep their religion to themselves and adopt a "live and let live" philosophy like California and New York, they will be relegated to the south until those old farts all die that think they are controlling and have the right to control "the world " in their own perverted image.
We reelected President Obama because we trust him! We trust him with our safety, our economy, and our values. He has compromised on positions because he learned and listened. He is the most valuable advocate we have because he will stand up for us when it's time.
Now we want him to grow some bigger ones with this Congress. He needs to play hardball and "explain to them" how it's going to be for the next 4 years. We have a lot to accomplish and they are going to help fix this crap because "they built this" and we are watching like a hawk!
what was that next to the Prez a glass of water yet you libs can't address RUBIO's remarks only his water. HYPOCRITICAL