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With Kamala Harris poised to become the first female vice president of the United States and with a record number of women elected to Congress, including more Republicans than ever, considerable history will be made when they all take office in January.
Harris, 56, a senator, former prosecutor and running mate of President-elect Joe Biden, will mark a series of firsts when she is sworn in on Jan. 20: as the first US vice president and the first African-American. in that position, as well as the first person of South Asian descent.
“Together, we show girls across the country what is possible,” she said on Twitter.
It was the latest echo of a speech Hillary Clinton delivered in 2016 in acknowledging her defeat to Donald Trump.
“I know we have not yet broken that highest and hardest glass ceiling,” that of the White House, “but someday someone will, and hopefully sooner than we think,” said the defeated Democratic candidate.
Clinton then addressed these words of encouragement to the “little girls” of the country:
“Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and that you deserve all the opportunities and opportunities in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.”
Since Clinton spoke those words four years ago, women have transformed the face of American politics, both in Congress and, soon, in the White House.
“With Kamala Harris, a lot of glass ceilings were broken in one day,” said Amy Dacey, former executive director of the Democratic National Committee now at American University.
Ron Klain, whom Biden named as his chief of staff, said Harris will play a “significant” role, Dacey said. “And I think (Biden) will attract a lot of women at all levels of administration.”
Analysts expect Biden to appoint progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren or Federal Reserve official Lael Brainard, a former Under Secretary of the Treasury, to head the Treasury, a position never held by a woman.
The United States could also have its first Secretary of Defense. Michele Flournoy, a former Pentagon number three, has been mentioned frequently.
There are only two women in Trump’s cabinet: Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. Several women have served Trump as senior advisers or as spokespersons for the White House.
But the Republican billionaire has also frequently sparked controversy with insulting or sexist comments about women. In October, he referred to Harris as a “monster.”
Harris, 56, a senator, former prosecutor and running mate to President-elect Joe Biden, will mark a series of firsts when she is sworn in on Jan. 20: as the first vice president of the United States and the first black. in that position, as well as the first person of South Asian descent.
A substantial impact
Americans in 2018 had already chosen a record number of women.
On November 3, they broke that record.
“This election shows continued progress for women in America,” said Kelly Dittmar, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University (CAWP).
“It will have an important impact on American politics,” he said, “because in addition to literally taking the government, they bring their lived experiences and different perspectives that are still under-represented.”
While some results from the Nov.3 election are not final yet, at least 140 women will hold seats in Congress when he returns Jan.3, according to CAWP.
There are currently 127 women in Congress, or 23.7% of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 100 in the Senate.
While that percentage will rise to 26% in January, women still have a long way to go – they make up half of the U.S. population.
Democratic women will claim 105 seats in Congress (89 in the House and 16 in the Senate).
Republican women, meanwhile, will occupy 35 seats (27 in the House and eight in the Senate), considerably fewer than their Democratic counterparts, but still a big increase from the current 22.
Republican candidates “performed better than expected,” Dittmar said.
“They would still be significantly under-represented, but this should send a message about their eligibility and hopefully increase their influence within the party to ensure that more women are elected in the future.”
When asked on Friday about the record number of Republican women elected, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to hold that office, said she would “congratulate and welcome each and every one of them.” .
But then the Democratic president, rounding the House total up, quickly emphasized that her party was still doing better with women, casually adding:
“Of course, we have 90.” – AFP
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