This Seat’s Taken: Why Women Running as Incumbents Face Unique Challenges

When it comes to politics, deep blue New York and solid red Arkansas have one thing in common: They’re among the 20 states that have still never had a woman governor.

Last week, the Barbara Lee Family Foundation released Staying Power, new research that examines the challenges and advantages women face when they run as incumbents. Overall, they found that women face similar challenges as incumbents running for re-election as they do as first-time candidates for office.