Recruit, Support, Win: Tackling the Gender Gap in Political Candidacy

Women are running and winning elections at record numbers, but a persistent gender gap in political ambition remains. On our latest podcast episode, Dr. Jennifer Lawless (Politics and Public Policy Professor, UVA) and Jill Normington (Normington, Pets and Associates) explored why—and what political consultants can do about it.

Dr. Lawless’ research has tracked political ambition over 20 years, revealing that women remain 16 percentage points less likely than men to consider running for office. This gap has barely budged, despite significant gains in female representation at all levels of government.

So, what’s holding women back? Two key factors:

🔹 Recruitment bias – Women are less likely than men to be encouraged to run, whether by party leaders, colleagues, or even friends and family.

🔹 Self-perception – Even when equally qualified, women are more likely to doubt their readiness. As Dr. Lawless put it: “Women think they have to be twice as good to get half as far.”

The good news? Political consultants can play a major role in closing this gap. Here’s how:

✅ Be persistent in recruitment. “When a woman hesitates, follow up,” Lawless advised. “No doesn’t always mean no—it might just mean she’s never thought about it.”

✅ Demystify the campaign experience. Running for office isn’t like a presidential race, and first-time candidates need reassurance about the realities of local elections.

✅ Shift the focus. Instead of fixating on barriers, highlight the real impact candidates can have on their communities.

As Normington summed up, “Our job as consultants isn’t just to manage campaigns—it’s to help more women see themselves as candidates in the first place.”

Listen to the full episode and subscribe to the podcast here.