Two years after Joni Ernst became the first woman to represent Iowa in the U.S. Senate, three more women may join her in Washington D.C.
Democrats Monica Vernon and Kim Weaver are running for U.S. House seats, and former Iowa Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge will take on longtime Republican Senator Chuck Grassley.
Maggie Tinsman is co-chair of 50-50 in 2020. The group's goal is for women to make up half of the Iowa Legislature and the state's congressional delegation in four years.
Women make up 27 percent of Iowa's House of Representatives and 23 percent of the state's Senate. That's slightly higher than the women comprising 19 percent of the U.S. House and 20 percent of the Senate.
If Judge defeats Grassley in November, Iowa will become just the sixth state to have two women serving as senators at one time. Political analyst Dr. Chris Whitt from Augustana College says Judge is a strong candidate.
All three women will face Republican incumbents, who are men, in the November general election.
