Female candidates on the Democratic Party ticket in California, many of whom have built their candidacies on opposing President Donald Trump, may not experience the anticipated “pink tsunami” or “Year of the Woman” as so many have hoped in the upcoming June primary elections.
“[I]n California, crowded primaries in crucial battleground districts, entrenched incumbents, notoriously expensive media markets and a top-two primary system that may prove disastrous for Democrats are some of the formidable barriers women face,” notes the Los Angeles Times.
The publication also noted that comedian-turned-activist Chelsea Handler’s hopeful prediction that 2018 would “obviously” be a bigger year for women than the 1992 “Year of the Woman” might fail to come to fruition.
Others may also be disappointed. As Breitbart News reported last year, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) — who was first elected in 1992, and is running for re-election again this year — had predicted that “we are going to have another Year of the Woman” in 2018.
But that may not happen, partly because there are simply too many Democrats running in competitive districts.
Democrats are reportedly spending millions to prevent a primary “disaster” that would hurt their goal of regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Breitbart News explained:
Under California’s “top two” or “jungle” primary, the top two finishers in the June 5 primary will advance, regardless of party. But there are so many Democratic candidates in some primaries that they may split the vote enough for two Republicans to finish in the top two spots, shutting Democrats out of the November contest.
Given the sheer numbers at stake, Democrats are focusing on the candidates they feel are most likely to win — and that sometimes means female candidates, especially newer ones, are not receiving the support they need.
That is not to say there have not been efforts to help female candidates. In March, Breitbart News reported: “Actress-turned-activist Jamie Lee Curtis has focused her efforts on “leveling the playing field” by launching a political action committee (PAC) — iFundHer — dedicated to electing progressive women to the California State Legislature.”
But such efforts will unlikely be enough to propel enough of the record 57 women candidates from the two major parties, who are mostly Democrats, past the June primary and into the November general election.
Adelle Nazarian is a politics and national security reporter for Breitbart News. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
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