Politics affect everyone. However, the power to make these decisions has long been reserved for men. For decades, women have been working their way to get a seat at the table. It has been a slow process, but women's voices are finally being heard. Hillary Clinton made history in 2016 by earning a nomination from a major party and winning the popular vote for the presidency. Unfortunately, she did not win but, her mark on U.S. politics will not be forgotten.
More women are serving in political positions than ever before, and we do not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. This list is for the women who are fighting for what they believe and working to make this world a better place for all of us. Your intelligence, dedication, and grit will not be forgotten.
1. Elizabeth Warren
Warren became Massachusetts's first female senator in 2013 after a successful career as a law professor at Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania. She is one of the leading experts on financial crisis law and has served as assistant to the President under Obama. She is one of 52 women to have ever served in the senate.
2. Kate Brown
As the first openly bisexual person to ever be elected as a governor, Brown has been in politics since the early 90s. First serving on the state legislature and working her way up to Secretary of State, she has helped to balance Oregon's budget, support local businesses, and raise the minimum wage.
3. Hillary Rodham Clinton
As the first woman to run for President and receive a nomination from a major party, Clinton has a long career in public service. She worked to reform public schools and healthcare during her time as First Lady of Arkansas and the U.S. She later served as Secretary of State, and as a senator from New York. Despite not winning the presidency, Clinton has broken many glass ceilings for women in politics.
4. Catherine Cortez-Masto
Cortez-Masto is first Latina to be elected to the U.S. senate. She is currently serving as Nevada's junior senator. Before her time in congress, she worked as an attorney, and later the Attorney General of Nevada. She is a gun owner, but she supports gun control and supported a bill to ban bump-stocks after the Las Vegas shooting.
5. Jenniffer González
After a long and impressive career in Puerto Rico, González is now the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico (non-voting representative in the U.S. Congress). She is the first woman and youngest person to hold this office since its creation in 1900.
6. Keisha Lance Bottoms
Bottoms is the current mayor of Atlanta. She was elected recently after serving on the Atlanta City Council for eight years. She is only the second female mayor of the Atlanta ever.
7. Danica Roem
In 2017, Roem was the first openly transgender person to ever be elected and serve in any state Legislature. She is now serving in the Virginia House of Representatives.
8. Kamala Harris
After a very successful career in Californian politics, Harris was elected as one of California's senators in 2016. She is the third woman to hold this position. She is also the first senator of Jamaican and Indian descent.
9. Tulsi Gabbard
Gabbard is currently serving as one of Hawaii's representatives. She is the first Samoan American and first Hindu member of congress. Before politics, she was a member of the Hawaii National Guard and was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait.
10. Diane Feinstein
Feinstein has long been involved in politics. She was the mayor of San Francisco for 10 years, and she now is the senior senator of California. She is the first and only woman to have chaired the Senate Rules Committee. She is also the oldest and longest running current U.S. senator.
