As Texans head to the polls on Tuesday there will be many choices to make, issues to weigh and candidates to consider. But is the gender of the candidate a factor in Texas elections?
A first-of-its-kind data set reveals that Texas is among the worst in the country in the number of women represented in elected positions, ranking number 46 out of 50 states.
But are Texans less likely to vote for women candidates? Or are women candidates less likely to run for office?
Guest: Betsy Mullins, President and CEO of “She Should Run.”
THE FACTS:
- 22 percent Texas’ elected offices are held by white women; 22 percent of Texans are white women.
- 49 percent of Texas’ elected offices are held by white men; 22 percent of Texans are white men.
- 11 percent of Texas’ elected offices are held by women of color; 28 percent of Texans are women of color.
- 19 percent of Texas’ elected offices are held by men of color; 28 percent of Texans are men of color.
This problem doesn’t just exist in Texas. Nationally, men hold 71 percent of elected offices in America, despite the fact that they account for 49 percent of the population.
