They all have a fighting chance!
Here is a roundup of all the candidates campaigning to be the first Black woman governor in the United States.
Last week, Twitter user @JuneSummer1 took to social media to post a very pertinent fact, writing, “In the history of the United States, there has never been a Black woman governor. That changes in 2022,” captioning a photo of each of the candidates.
In the history of the United States, there has never been a Black woman governor. That changes in 2022.
2022 Governor Candidates pic.twitter.com/j1bX7EqROF
— PoliticHoe™️ Gon’ Learn (@JuneSummer1) December 2, 2021
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Since sharing is caring, we’re making sure you have a roundup of all the 2022 Black women gubernatorial candidates and a quick list of issues they care about. Check it out below!
Connie Johnson: Oklahoma Candidate for Governor
Photo Courtesy of Campaign for Connie Johnson
Constance “Connie” Johnson, is a former Oklahoma state Senator and Oklahoma City native. She holds a bachelor’s degree in French and two masters degrees, one in education and another in rehabilitation counseling. A veteran politician, Johnson spent more than 20 years working as a legislative analyst. She was first appointed to the Oklahoma legislature in 2005, getting re-elected in 2006 and again in 2010. This will be her second gubernatorial run, her first happening in 2018 when she was the only woman and the only Black person in the running.
Her areas of focus are:
Health care expansion
Public safety/Public health
Infrastructure
Abolishing the Death Penalty
Expanding Access to Medicinal Cannabis
You can learn more about Johnson’s campaign here.
Danielle Allen: Massachusetts Candidate for Governor
Photo Courtesy of Campaign for Danielle Allen
Allen holds degrees from Princeton, the University of Cambridge and Harvard. Hailing from a long line of activists, her great grandparents fought for women’s voting rights and her grandfather was a co-founder of one of the first NAACP chapters in northern Florida. Allen has continued that legacy work, making a name for herself in the nonprofit sector as a leader, policy innovator and educator. She is a Harvard professor and was also responsible for spearheading the COVID response team that sparked the Biden-Harris Pandemic Testing Board to help build out COVID testing resources. She is an author, freedom fighter and leader of a civic education initiative that supports teachers and students across fourteen Massachusetts school districts.
Her areas of focus are:
Housing
Transportation
Schools
Good Jobs
Justice
You can learn more about Allen’s campaign here.
Deidre DeJear: Iowa Candidate for Governor
Photo Courtesy of Campaign for Deidre DeJear
An Oklahoma native by way of Jackson, Mississippi, DeJear holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Drake University. She got her start as a social impact entrepreneur, founding Back to School Iowa, a nonprofit aimed at supporting youth in their educational pursuits. She went on to open her own business helping provide small businesses with affordable marketing tools.
Her areas of focus are:
Economic Development
Voting rights
Education Equity
Affordable, Accessible Healthcare
Building a Competitive Technological Hub
Environmental Justice
Rural Development
You can learn more about DeJear’s campaign here.
Letitia James: New York Candidate for Governor
Photo Courtesy of Campaign for Letitia James
James is a Brooklyn native, veteran politician and the current Attorney General for New York. She made history as the first Black woman to be elected to statewide office in New York and has built strong Democratic ties over the years. She has also garnered support from liberals for her suing of the National Rifle Association, investigation of former President Donald J. Trump and inquiry into the allegations against former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Her areas of focus are:
Economic Development
People-centered Health Care
Education Equity
Affordable Housing
Social Equality & Progress for all New Yorkers
You can learn more about James’ campaign here.
Mia McLeod: South Carolina Candidate for Governor
Photo Courtesy of Campaign for Mia McLeod
McLeod is a seventh-generation South Carolinian whose family has run a small business in her hometown of Bennettsville for over a century. She has served as CEO of her own company for nearly two decades, worked as a college educator and been one of the state’s top victim advocates, working with the Attorney Generals and Governors to tackle South Carolina’s domestic violence crisis. The first Black woman to hold a State Senate seat and the mother of two boys, McLeod is hoping to create a new South Carolina that better represents the issues of values of all its residents.
Her areas of focus are:
Equality for all
Education Equity
Equal Pay, Equal Work and Liveable Wages
Creating a government for the people
Transparency In Policing & Politics
Creating Economic Pathways In Rural Counties
Gender Equality In Healthcare Legislation
Resident Retention
You can learn more about McLeod’s campaign here.
Stacey Abrams: Georgia Candidate for Governor
Photo Courtesy of Campaign for Stacey Abrams
Abrams is a veteran politician who made history as the first woman and first Black person to serve as House Minority Leader in the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives. She is a staunch voting rights advocate who, through her work with Fair Fight Action, has been pivotal in turning red states blue and galvanizing generations of Democratic voters. For her work, she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. This will be her second gubernatorial run, potentially against her former opponent, GA Gov. Brian Kemp.
Her areas of focus are:
Economic equality
Expanded Healthcare Access2
Voting rights
Opportunities for all
A unified Georgia
You can learn more about Abrams’ campaign here.
Congratulations to all of the gubernatorial candidates!
Photos Courtesy of Campaigns for Johnson, Allen, DeJear, James, McLeod & Abrams