Why haven’t there been more female governors?

There are women running for governor in 19 US states; Illinois isn’t one of them. Of the 19 states where women are competing in primary gubernatorial races this spring, there are only a handful who are expected to make it onto the ballot for the general election. Why does it matter?

According to Kelly Dittmar who researches gender balance in politics for the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University, the lack representation for women at the gubernatorial level is due to a number of factors, including the support political parties do and do not show for women and the complex relationship our culture has with women taking executive leadership roles. This hour on Focus, we’ll talk about what barriers still exist for women seeking gubernatorial office in Illinois and across the country. Dittmar, an Assistant Professor at the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University and Tom Kacich, who writes about politics for the News-Gazette, join host Jim Meadows.