In the new 113th Congress, there will be an all time record of participation by women.
There will be 78 Congresswomen and 20 women Senators, for an all time high of 98.
So women will represent 98 seats, while men will have 437, still more than 80 percent of the membership.
But women will now have much more influence, including some committee chairmanships in the Senate by Democrats including Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Diane Feinstein of California, and Barbara Boxer of California, and with Maine Senator Susan Collins being the most powerful Republican woman in the minority, due to seniority.
The number of women in the Congress is likely to continue to increase dramatically in future years, and that is all to the good for the future of American democracy!
Professor,
Don’t forget my state of NH. The entire Congressional delegation are women–Kelly Ayotte and Jeanne Shaheen in the Senate and Carol Shea Porter and Anne Kuster in the House. PLUS, the newly elected governor is Maggie Hassan, making it a clean sweep!
Paul, I have mentioned the fact of the all female New Hampshire delegation elsewhere on the blog, within the past week or so. It is a wonderful development!