Dr. Andrea Silva, Assistant Professor of American Politics at the University of North Texas, and Dr. Carrie Skulley, Assistant Professor of Politics at Sewanee University, wrote on how candidate emergence represents the final step in the process of thinking about running for office. It reflects the decision to contest a seat for an elective office. The number of women seeking congressional office in the United States has dramatically increased since 1980. Previous research on women candidates explores why women run, but new research on candidate emergence shows that women face different challenges and advantages based on their race and ethnicity. However, a one-size-fits-all explanation for the surge of women candidates would be misleading, especially as it pertains to race. Read more here.