Record number of women to serve in next Congress

A record 159 women from both parties are set to serve in the next Congress, representing a seven-woman increase over the current cohort. This figure, projected by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University and CNN, brings women's representation to 30% of the chamber when the 120th Congress convenes in January.

The gains are driven primarily by Democratic women in the House, where the number is expected to break a new record. Conversely, Republicans face what strategists call a crisis-level decline in both chambers. Despite the increase, the total remains about 100 seats shy of gender parity.

Beyond the federal legislature, women achieved historic success at other levels of government. A record-breaking 17 women will serve as governors, including Georgia’s Keisha Lance Bottoms, the first Black woman elected to that office. At least 11 female veterans are also headed to the House, the highest number in U.S. history.

Read the full story at CNN.