Women Could Reach 'Critical Mass' in Congress |
By Allison Stevens
Washington Bureau Chief |
A combination of factors makes 2008 the year when women could mark some of their biggest gains in the House of Representatives since 1992 and verge on "critical mass" levels that analysts say range from around 20 to 33 percent.
That means women's share of the House could reach 19 percent, near the 20 percent that political scientist Sue Thomas identified more than a decade ago as a tipping point. In a study of 12 state legislatures Thomas found that when women held at least 1 in 5 state legislative seats, they were more likely to sponsor and push forward women-friendly legislation such as funding for domestic violence shelters and stricter child-support laws.
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