Women seeking leadership positions are facing a mixed record in the 107th Congress.
Two moderate Republican women were defeated earlier this month in their bids to head congressional committees.
Rep. Marge Roukema (R-N.J.)– who was next in line to head the Banking Committee–lost to Rep. Michael Oxley (R-Ohio), an able fundraiser for congressional Republicans who won the panel’s gavel after failing in his bid to head the Commerce Committee. The panel was also renamed the Financial Services Committee.
Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-Ill.) defeated Rep. Sue Kelly (R-N.Y.) to chair the Small Business Committee.
House party leaders admitted they were concerned about not choosing a woman to lead a committee, but said they selected the most qualified candidates. They also pointed out that two women, Reps. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) and Barbara Cubin (R-Wyo.), hold leadership positions. Cubin is secretary of the House GOP Conference, and Pryce is its vice chair.
But Debbie Walsh, associate director of the Center for American Women and Politics in Rutgers, N.J., called the decision to name Oxley the chair “troublesome” given Roukema’s 20 years of experience on the Banking Committee. Oxley did not previously serve on that panel.
Still, congressional Democrats installed women for the first time to head their fundraising and candidate recruitment efforts for the 2002 campaigns. Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) will lead party efforts to retake the House, while Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) will focus on the Senate.
