In historic first, Jennifer McClellan just won election to Congress. Black women say it’s not enough
Black women are helping fuel diversity in Congress and broke barriers in local races but fell short in major statewide contests in the midterm elections.
When Stephanie Thomas entered Connecticut’s race for secretary of state, she was a first-term lawmaker whom many people didn’t know – and were hesitant to support.
“I was certainly considered a bit of a long shot, because I hadn’t been politically involved for very long,” Thomas told USA TODAY.
“So it was actually very surprising to many outsiders that I won the (Democratic state) convention” and gained the party’s endorsement.
Thomas had to overcome a lack of name identification and hustle to raise campaign cash.
It paid off.
In last year’s midterm election, she became Connecticut’s first Black female secretary of state. And on Tuesday, in another first, Virginia elected a Black woman to Congress as Jennifer McClellan won a race in the fourth congressional district.
But other Black women running for office often struggle to replicate that kind of success.
In 2022, Stacey Abrams fell in her second bid for Georgia governor; former Rep. Val Demings and Cheri Beasely were defeated in their senatorial races in Florida and North Carolina, respectively.
These high-profile losses point to a larger and reoccurring problem for Democrats, elected officials and advocates said.
Though Black female voters are the Democratic Party’s backbone, activists, strategists and experts tell USA TODAY they aren’t accepted as the party’s face.
From the hand-wringing about Vice President Kamala Harris‘ electability to the electoral losses last year, Black women are demanding Democrats step up their political support – with increased financial backing, endorsements, candidate pipeline building and mentoring – in the coming months or risk deflating the party’s most loyal bloc.
