It may take another couple of weeks before we find out which party will control Congress, but until then many faced disappointment after learning that several Black women who ran would not see victory. Of them, Stacey Abrams of Georgia and Cheri Beasley of North Carolina both lost highly-contested races.
“I may no longer be seeking the office of governor, but I will never stop doing everything in my power to ensure that the people of Georgia have a voice,” said Abrams during her concession speech. “We may not have made it to the finish line, but we ran that race. We know that running is what matters. That standing is what matters. Defending is what matters. While we might not write the story today, there is always another chapter.”
Black women ran for office in record numbers this year – mostly for seats never held by Black women. Some critics argue that the unsuccessful campaigns of Black women who were vying for seats were because of lack of support, according to Aimee Allison, founder of She the People.
“The Democratic Party must do the work of listening to women of color voters, thought leaders, and political strategists,” said Allison in a statement. “And do more to support women of color who run for office.”
While some Black women lost during this year’s midterm elections, there were some victories, including Summer Lee, who became the first Black woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania and Andrea Campbell, who was elected Massachusetts’ first Black female Attorney General. In California, Malia Cohen clinched the win to become the state’s first Black woman elected Controller.
Despite the wins and losses among Black women candidates, a large number of voters and constituents across the country are hopeful that there will be more representation for women of color in the years to come.
