Michigan women are making gains in state politics, ranking 14th nationally for the number serving in the legislature. However, the latest analysis reveals funding disparities are a concern.
The Center for American Women and Politics says men’s campaign donations are outpacing those from women, and that could be limiting women’s voices and influence in the political arena. Kira Sanbonmatsu with the center says more women run as Democrats in Michigan, and they’re raising a higher percentage of funds from small contributions.
“And this is a pattern that we often see across states, particularly for Democratic women, and what this means is they may not have access to large dollar donations to the same extent as men, and they may need to make it up by financing with these smaller contributions,” Sanbonmatsu said.
Sanbonmatsu says women have historically faced financial challenges in politics, lacking the same access to funding as men. With fewer women as incumbents, they miss out on the financial advantages that come with holding office.
