EMILY's List's Political Opportunity Program has a long history of success. In 2008, POP helped 175 women
candidates win their races and bring change to the state and local levels. Learn more about POP's beginnings
and its role in changing the face of politics at the local and state level.
2008
EMILY's List helps to elect 10 women to statewide seats including the secretaries of state in Missouri (Robin Carnahan), Montana (Linda McCulloch), Oregon (Kate Brown), Vermont (Deborah Markowitz), and West Virginia (Natalie Tennant) as well as two additional women in Montana: new Auditor Monica Lindeen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, the first Native elected to a statewide office in Montana and the first Native woman in the nation elected statewide.
In total, POP helps 175 pro-choice Democratic women in 32 states run and win at the state and local level. Of the 175, 86 are new to their positions.
2007
In 2007, POP trains 1041 people in states like California, New York, Florida, Oklahoma and Missouri with many more trainings on the calendar for 2008.
POP victories include races for city council in Tucson, Arizona, Augusta, Maine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Houston, Texas, for mayor in Baltimore, Maryland and for state legislator in New Jersey and Virginia.
2006
EMILY's List helps to elect women to 20 key statewide seats, winning ten times more races than the previous cycle and helping to ensure the largest increase in a single election for Democratic women in statewide office in history. These races include critical positions such as secretaries of state in Ohio (Jennifer Brunner), California (Debra Bowen), and New Mexico (Mary Herrera) as well as three statewide wins for pro-choice Democratic women in Nevada with treasurer (Kate Marshall), attorney general (Catherine Cortez Masto), and controller (Kim Wallin).
On top of these victories, November of 2006 brings us 175 wins for EMILY's List endorsed women in 31 states for offices such as county legislator, state House, and state Senate.
2005
Between January and July 2005, POP trains more than 540 women in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Virginia, Arizona, and New York.
As of July 2005, POP has trained more than 3,100 potential and declared women candidates and staff since the program launched in 2001.
2004
During the 2004 election cycle, POP holds 40 training seminars in 29 states and contributes to the campaigns of 225 POP candidates. 140 win seats across the country. POP victories help Democrats regain control of six legislative chambers and put pro-choice Democratic women in key leadership positions, in some cases for the first time in a state's history.
2003
Among POP-supported wins, Kamala Harris becomes the first African American district attorney in California history, and Annise Parker becomes the first openly gay candidate to win a citywide race in Houston.
2002
During the 2002 election cycle, POP holds 25 training seminars in 22 states, training 961 potential state and local candidates and staff. EMILY's List contributes to 164 pro-choice Democratic women running in competitive races for state offices. Eighty-six of these women won — nearly half of them new to their offices.
2001
EMILY's List launches the Political Opportunity Program (POP), which trains women who are either running or considering running for state legislative, constitutional, and key local offices. Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner gets wind of the new program and invites POP to Delaware to train in her state.
2000
The number of women serving in state legislatures declines for the first time in 30 years.