Alabama women make history in midterm elections

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Progress toward gender-balanced governance is dangerously slow in the United States, according to the group Represent Women, which tracks equality for women in politics. According to their 2022 gender parity index, Alabama earned a D.

“Having women at the table, the decision-making table in politics, has been critically important,” said U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell represents the state’s 7th District.

Sewell was one of the first women elected to Congress from Alabama and is currently the only woman of Alabama’s seven representatives.

“It took six women being senators on the Armed Services Committee before sexual harassment in the military ever got a hearing in Congress,” said Sewell.

Alabama could increase its gender score after the state elected its first female senator, Katie Britt.

“I am the only Republican female with school-age children in the Senate,” said Britt. “Y’all, these are all kinds of firsts.”

Britt said her election night was good for young women across the state.

“If this gives a little girl in some corner of the state of Alabama hope or gives her that fight or passion to say, ‘I want to do more,’” said Britt.

The country made history after November’s midterm election, now having 12 female governors serving at the same time.

Gov. Kay Ivey is Alabama’s second female governor. The first was Ivey’s mentor, Lurleen Wallace.

“She chartered our first community colleges. She started our mental health program. She chartered unchartered waters, and I’m trying to do the same if it benefits the people,” said Ivey.

“When women succeed, I think all America succeeds,” said Sewell.

Despite the party, Ivey, Britt and Sewell are not just qualified women, but qualified people, and they say they will continue to try to promote policies that benefit all Alabamians.

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