Nov 25, 2024 - Politics
Mapped: Where women rule
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18 states in America have never had a woman governor — and California is one of them.
Driving the news: A record 13 women will be governors next year after New Hampshire elected Kelly Ayotte.
- The five Republicans and eight Democrats will make up 26% of U.S. governors. The previous record was 12 in 2023, Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics notes.
What to watch: The 2026 election could see Californians elect their first woman governor.
- Several women are campaigning to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who cannot seek reelection due to term limits.
- That includes Toni Atkins, president pro tem of the state Senate, and Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show the party split of the 13 women governors is eight Democrats and five Republicans (not eight Republicans and five Democrats.)