A Tale of Two Parties

Chapter 1 outlines the four theoretical frameworks used to assess the emergence and causes of the partisan gap among women in elective office in the United States. The first theoretical framework relates to the evolving ideologies of the two major parties. It is grounded in the argument that the parties have changed ideologically in significant ways, which have led to divergent growth rates for Democratic and Republican women legislators. The second theoretical framework explores how the regional realignment of the parties has contributed to the partisan gap among women officeholders at the state and national levels. The third framework explores the ways that the intersection of race, ethnicity, gender, and partisanship has driven the emergence and growth of the partisan gap. The final framework focuses on the parties’ distinctive cultures and their impact on the recruitment of women.