I am an Associate Professor of Political Science at Rutgers–Camden and Director of Research at the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP).
The 2024 congressional elections begin in earnest next week when five states will hold their primary elections. But more sitting congresswomen than ever have decided not to add their names to the ballot for re-election. While women’s congressional departures in 2024 are not – at least for now – disproportionate to men’s, their persistent underrepresentation in Congress makes preserving existing numbers especially important.
A high number of departures among congresswomen begs questions of both cause and effect. Is there something about the current political context that is motivating women to leave public office? New findings on thecould make their retention even less likely than men’s. But the congressional data for 2024 does not yet indicate a uniquely gendered difference in either the cause or commonality of congressional departures.
For The Third Time In A Week, Russian Troops Paraded Within Range Of Ukraine’s HIMARS Launchers—And Rockets Rained On The ParadeFor now, incumbent congresswomen are not departing their current offices – whether to retire or to run for other offices – at higher rates than their male counterparts.