Where Are the Women? Women as Candidates in the Republican Party of Virginia

Abstract

The Commonwealth of Virginia infrequently produces women candidates for elective office. Since 1917, only three women have been elected (the first in 1992) to Congress, and Virginia typically falls in the bottom quintile for the number of women serving in the state legislature. This project examines the changing political climate of Virginia and why this party - competitive, swing state has not produced more opportunities for women to run for public office. Specifically, we examine the Republican Party of Virginia's candidate training program for women, the Jennifer Byler Institute, and the ways in which it serves as a pipeline for prospective Republican women candidates.