Will 2009 Go Down as the Year of the Disappearing Women Governors?

By Kathy Groob, Publisher, ElectWomen Magazine

With Sarah Palin’s recent announcement that she is resigning her post as Governor of Alaska, there will soon be just six states with women governors– Hawaii, North Carolina, Michigan, Washington, Arizona and Connecticut.  37 states will hold elections for governor next year in 2010, but will there be enough women running to fill the pipeline and regain some of the numbers lost by attrition during 2009?

2009 At a Glance

The good news is the Obama administration tapped strong female leaders for key posts.  The bad news is, there are now two fewer female governors.

Janet Napolitano – Former governor of Arizona is now the United States Secretary of Homeland Security.

 

Kathleen Sebelius – Former governor of Kansas is now the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.

 

Sarah Palin – Soon to be leaving her post at Governor of Alaska for a private life and potential future run.

 

2009 began with a record nine women governors and by the end of July; there will be only six.  In 1994, a record 34 women filed to run for governor and 10 won their primaries.  Again 10 women ran for governor in 2002 and 2006.  According to the Center for American Women and Politics, a total of 31 women governors have served in 23 states.  Kentucky elected a woman governor, Martha Layne Collins in 1984, but no woman has run for governor since.  Twenty-seven states have never elected a woman governor. 

Fast Forward

In 2009, there is one woman is in the race for Lt. Governor of Virginia this year, and she is Jody Wagner. 

So far 15 women have announced or are considering a run for governor in 2010. *

Kim McMillan– Democrat from Tennessese

Kay Ivey – Republican from Alabama

Meg Whitman – Republican from California

Susan Bysiewicz – Democrat from Connecticut

Alex Sink – Democrat from Florida

Karen Handel – Republican from Georgia

Terri Lynn Land – Republican from Michigan

Susan Gaertner – Democrat from Minnesota

Diane Denish – Democrat from New Mexico

Jari Askins – Democrat from Oklahoma

Mary Fallin – Republican from Oklahoma

Elizabeth Roberts – Democrat from Rhode Island

Nikki Haley – Republican from South Carolina

Kay Bailey Hutchison – Republican from Texas

Deb Markowitz – Democrat from Vermont

Perhaps 2010 will be the year when enough women will run for their state’s highest office and make up the losses from 2009 plus a couple.

*Courtesy of The Center for American Women and Politics