Although the 2020 field of candidates is the most diverse ever, the next Congress will likely be only marginally more diverse than the current one.

OpenSecrets unveils a new report on racial and gender diversity in the 117th Congress

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Brendan Quinn, 202-354-0110, [email protected]

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2020 – The field of candidates running for federal office in 2020 is the most diverse in recent history, but OpenSecrets found that the next Congress will be, at most, only marginally more diverse than the current one. A new report, authored by OpenSecrets Research Director Sarah Bryner, delves into the reasons why.

Using research that looks into incumbency reelection rates, the politics of “open seat” races and the struggles faced by BIPOC(Black, Indigenous, and people of color) candidates when it comes to fundraising, Bryner examines some of the hurdles that may prevent the diverse field of candidates from winning a seat in Congress.

As of primaries completed through mid-June:
* 116 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) candidates have already been nominated for general election contests.

* However, only 30 percent of congressional races are competitive or open seat contests — the most viable way for new representation to be elected to Congress come November.

* That means BIPOC candidates could be elected to seats currently held by white lawmakers in roughly 7 percent of congressional contests.

The 116th Congress is the most diverse in history. But Congress is still less diverse than the electorate it represents. Roughly 78 percent of lawmakers identify as white compared to 60 percent of the U.S. population, and women hold just 24 percent of all congressional seats.

With protests growing in response to police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, many voters are calling for more leadership that represents the diverse identities and array of policy perspectives among the different demographic groups in our political system. Yet our political system offers few chances for gains to be made on this front, as we can see in the data coming from the 2020 primaries.

For over 35 years, the Center for Responsive Politics has empowered Americans with information and helped propel the discussion on transparency in governance. CRP's in-depth research and analysis reveal important facts about how our nation's politics and policies are shaped and influenced. To that end, having the most up-to-date data available on the politics of race and gender is more important than ever in this critical election year.


Read the report here ([link removed])

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Nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit, the Center for Responsive Politics is the nation’s premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy. Founded in 1983, CRP’s vision is for Americans to be empowered by access to clear and unbiased information about money’s role in politics and policy and to use that knowledge to strengthen our democracy.
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