By Taylor Prewitt, Student Wake Forest University, Emerge Kentucky Intern

Nearly one hundred women from across the country made it clear that the battle for female empowerment has its sights set on Washington. On Tuesday, June 8^th, ten states held primary races that included a record number of female candidates, many of whom were victorious against their male challengers.

Much of the spotlight has fallen on Republican candidates Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina, two well-known California businesswomen.  Each was successful in her primary election on Tuesday. Although both have been criticized for their lack of experience in public office, they have fiercely fought back against the criticism. As Whitman stated on Tuesday evening, she and Fiorina are “two businesswomen from the real world who know how to create jobs, balance budgets and get things done.” As they each congratulated the other in their victory speeches, it became clear that Whitman and Fiorina will count on the support of each other throughout the journey to the general election in November.

Another woman claiming victory in Tuesday’s primary was incumbent Democrat Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. She faced Lt. Governor, Bill Halter, a fierce union supporter, in the state’s U.S. Senatorial runoff. Lincoln was forced to fight back against criticisms of her loyalty to the Democratic Party throughout the entirety of her primary campaign. However, with the endorsements of President Obama and former President and Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, Lincoln pulled out a win with 52% of the vote.

A debatable factor in Tuesday’s races is former Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s influence on the outcomes of the Republican primaries. Palin endorsed Carly Fiorina of California for U.S. Senate, Nikki Haley of South Carolina for Governor, and Cecile Bledsoe of Arkansas for U.S. Representative. According to POLITICO, “Perhaps Palin’s most powerful demonstration came in South Carolina, where her endorsement propelled a major swing in the polls for Haley’s primary campaign….” With two of the three women having won their races, many are giving credit to Palin’s support of the female candidates. In Carly Fiorina’s words, “Governor Palin’s endorsement was integral to the success of our campaign.”

Other notables from Tuesday’s primaries include South Dakota’s U.S. Senatorial primary, where lawyer Roxanne Conlin won the Democratic Party’s nomination; South Carolina’s Gubernatorial race, in which Nikki Haley battled claims of affairs as she ultimately moved onto a June 22^nd runoff; and Nevada’s U.S. Senate primary, where Sharron Angle beat Sue Lowden, sending her to battle in the November race against Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid.

Of the 98 women who ran for election on Tuesday, 56 were victorious. All in all, Tuesday was a notable success for women of both parties, signaling a forthcoming surge of female influence within the country’s historically male-dominated governments.

Although this primary season’s Super Tuesday was a big one, primary contests in 25 are still to come, and several of the women in those races are likely to advance to the general election in November.

For a complete list of Tuesday’s female winners and losers, visit The Center for American Women and Politics at http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/elections/primaries_06-08-2010.php.