Woman Senators Make History: Starting in January 2013, women will hold a record 20 out of 100 Senate seats in the 113th U.S. Congress.
On Tuesday, the GOP picked up one new female senator, Deb Fischer of Nebraska. Two female Republicans are retiring this year bringing the incoming total of Republican women senators to four: Nebraska's Fisher, New Hampshire's Kelly Ayotte, Maine's Susan Collins and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski.
"We can expect Fischer, whose win was one of the few highlights from an otherwise dismal night for the national GOP, to be quickly embraced as a rising star in the Senate, and likely the face of any continuing opposition to Obamacare in that chamber," reported Robin Marty of RH Reality Check.
All six female incumbent Democrats won their re-election, including Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who had been in tight race until her opponent, Rep. Todd Akin, made his comments about "legitimate rape." Democrats joining the Senate next year will be Democrats Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), and Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.). (Rick Berg of North Dakota conceded the race late yesterday to Heitkamp.) Six other female Democrat senators were not up for re-election this year.
Thus the full list of female senators for 2013 includes 16 Democrats:
1. Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin, incoming)
2. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii, incoming)
3. Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts, incoming)
4. Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota, incoming)
5. Claire McCaskill (Missouri, re-elected)
6. Debbie Stabenow (Michigan, re-elected)
7. Dianne Feinstein (California, re-elected)
8. Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota, re-elected)
9. Kirsten Gillibrand (New York, re-elected)
10. Maria Cantwell (Washington re-elected)
11. Patty Murray (Washington)
12. Barbara Boxer (California)
13. Barbara Mikulski (Maryland)
14. Mary Landrieu (Louisiana)
15. Kay Hagan (North Carolina)
16. Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire)
And four Republicans:
17. Deb Fisher (Nebraska incoming)
18. Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire)
19. Susan Collins (Maine)
20. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
