Happy Friday! Welcome to our Media Round Up. Each week we’re collecting and sharing our favorite gender + politics stories. Here’s what caught our eye this week:

 

Palin Lost a Shot at a House Seat, but She Has a Second Chance

Jazmine Ulloa, The New York Times

The results of a special House election in Alaska came this week—sending Mary Peltola, a Democrat, to Congress. Peltola, a former state lawmaker, will be the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress.

Former Alaska Governor and Republican Party Vice-Presidential nominee Sarah Palin was also on the special election ballot, and she was endorsed by former President Trump.

The results came through a ranked-choice voting system that allowed voters to choose their top three candidates. Palin and Peltola will reappear on the general election ballot for the district (Alaska’s sole Congressional seat). Peltola will serve until January.

Read the full story here.

 

Harris brings on a veteran of the Reid political machine

Christopher Cadelago and Sam Stein, Politico

Vice President Kamala Harris is adding Megan Jones, an aide to former Senate leader Harry Reid and a partner at consulting firm Hilltop, to her staff. In her position with the Vice President’s office, “Jones is expected to help with political planning, outreach, and coordination.” With the midterms drawing closer, Harris will likely be campaigning in battleground states.

Read the full story here.

 

Record number of women are running for governor and winning their primaries

Sarah Ewall-Wice, CBS News

A record number of women candidates will appear on November ballots for governor. With 36 states holding gubernatorial elections this year, at least 23 women are in the running. The previous record, according to the Center for American Women and Politics, is 16 (set in 2018). A total of 69 women filed to run for governor this year, also a new record. Both parties—Democrats and Republicans—set records for the number of women gubernatorial candidates this year.

Read the full story here.

 

Dancing Up a Political Storm

Valeriya Safronova, The New York Times

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin has faced criticism since videos of her dancing with friends emerged earlier this month. “It wasn’t the first time a female politician was shamed or criticized for dancing,” Safronova writes, citing previous instances with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rhode Island State Senator Tiara Mack.

Ms. Marin is not Finland’s first woman Prime Minister, but “the image of women in powerful political roles is not yet entrenched, and so people react strongly when a female politician contradicts expectations,” according to Dr. Eeva Luhtakallio, a University of Helsinki professor of sociology.

Read the full story here.