Progressive challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's shock victory over 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) was the latest sign of the historic momentum behind women candidates in this midterm election cycle.

Be smart: Cook Political's David Wasserman: "If House Democrats are ultimately successful in November, 2018 might be remembered as the 'Year of the Angry College-Educated Female' — a reversal of the 1994 GOP revolution's 'Year of the Angry White Male.'"

• A record number of women are running for House, a record number of women are running for Senate and a record number of women are running for governor.
• This isn't just a Democratic phenomenon. Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics: "Republican women have ... surpassed their record high for filed U.S. Senate candidates [18 Rs, 24 Ds]; 17 women filed as Republican Senate candidates in 2010."
• And they're winning: In a N.Y. Times tally last month, roughly half of the women in House primaries had won. (Most of the winners were Democrats in safe Republican districts, clouding the outlook for November.)
• The backdrop: the historic #MeToo movement against sexual assault and harassment by powerful males.
• In January, women marched in protest around the globe for the second year in a row.

Go deeper: Women surging in Democratic politics for 2018, 2020.