This book, one of the first to focus exclusively on the experiences of Republican congresswomen, uncovers some of the gendered implications of congressional polarization. Looking beyond legislative behavior, Gendering the GOP: Intraparty Politics and Republican Women's Representation in Congress reveals changes over time in the way Republican congresswomen (1) claim to represent women and (2) work together to advance their own interests within the party. Through extensive interviews with women members of Congress and in-depth analyses of House floor speeches, the book details how women have both navigated and shaped existing gender dynamics within the House GOP conference. It demonstrates that Republican women in Congress are not merely gender-blind partisans. Rather, it complicates traditional understandings of the relationship between descriptive and substantive representation, showing how polarization and party competition have incentivized Republican women to organize around their partisan-gender identity--distinguishing themselves from both Democratic women and Republican men. Doing so has increased their visibility as party messengers, while simultaneously limiting their legislative power in the institution. This book shines light on the ongoing challenges Republican women face, the intricate gender dynamics they must learn to navigate in their party, and potential opportunities for change. -- Provided by publisher.

A powerful exploration of the role of women in the Republican Party that enhances readers' understanding of gender representation in the GOP and suggests solutions to address the partisan gender gap. Why is the Republican Party dominated by men to a far greater extent than its primary rival? With literature on conservative women in the United States still in its infancy, this book fills an important gap. It does so by examining Republican women as distinct from their male Republican and Democratic female counterparts and also by exploring the shifting role of Republican women in their party and in politics overall. The book brings those subjects together in one volume that will provide fascinating reading to students, scholars, and anyone else interested in U.S. politics. The analysis is presented in four parts, beginning with a look at the role of women as voters and activists in the GOP. The second section explores the process of candidate emergence, tackling the question as to why so few women run as Republicans and why those who do are less successful than their Democratic female and Republican male counterparts. In the third part, the contributors shed light on Republican women in Congress and state legislatures and their behavior as lawmakers. The final section assesses the outcome of the 2016 election for Republican women in general and, specifically, for Carly Fiorina, the only female candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. Each section of the book concludes with a short "guide to action" that takes the insights set forth and applies them to suggest ways to promote a greater involvement of women in the Republican Party.

Offering an analysis of the centrality of gender to politics in the United States from the days of the Whigs to the early 20th century, the author argues that women in the US participated actively and transformed forever the ideology of American party politics before they got the right to vote.

In the wake of the Nineteenth Amendment, Republican women set out to forge a place for themselves within the Grand Old Party. As Catherine Rymph explains, their often conflicting efforts over the subsequent decades would leave a mark on both conservative

In the run-up to the 2012 presidential election, Democrats and Republicans were locked in a fierce battle for the female vote. Democrats charged Republicans with waging a “war on women,” while Republicans countered that Democratic policies actually undermined women’s rights. The women of the Senate wielded particular power, planning press conferences, appearing on political programs, and taking to the Senate floor over gender-related issues such as workplace equality and reproductive rights. The first book to examine the impact of gender differences in the Senate, Women in the Club is an eye-opening exploration of how women are influencing policy and politics in this erstwhile male bastion of power. Gender, Michele L. Swers shows, is a fundamental factor for women in the Senate, interacting with both party affiliation and individual ideology to shape priorities on policy. Women, for example, are more active proponents of social welfare and women’s rights. But the effects of gender extend beyond mere policy preferences. Senators also develop their priorities with an eye to managing voter expectations about their expertise and advancing their party’s position on a given issue. The election of women in increasing numbers has also coincided with the evolution of the Senate as a highly partisan institution. The stark differences between the parties on issues pertaining to gender have meant that Democratic and Republican senators often assume very different roles as they reconcile their policy views on gender issues with the desire to act as members of partisan teams championing or defending their party’s record in an effort to reach various groups of voters.

Arguing that the field of women and politics has "come of age" and edited by best-selling author Karen O'Connor, this reader includes both classic and contemporary readings on women and politics and provides students with an understanding of current research in the area, a sense the evolution of the field of women and politics over time, and ideas of where the research is likely to go in the future.