The POP Timeline

2007

Through January 2008, POP has trained 1041 people this cycle in states like California, New York, Florida, Oklahoma and Missouri with eight more trainings on the calendar for 2008.

We've also had numerous primary victories in POP this year in races for City Council in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona and Philadelphia, PA, for Mayor in Baltimore, MD and Livonia, MI and for state delegate in Virginia.

2006

EMILY's List helped to elect women to 20 key statewide seats, winning ten times more races than the previous cycle and helping to ensure the largest increase in a single election for Democratic women in statewide office in history. These races included critical positions such as secretaries of state in Ohio (Jennifer Brunner), California (Debra Bowen), and New Mexico (Mary Herrera) as well as three statewide wins for pro-choice Democratic women in Nevada with treasurer (Kate Marshall), attorney general (Catherine Cortez Masto), and controller (Kim Wallin).

On top of these victories, November of 2006 brought us 175 wins for EMILY's List endorsed women in 31 states for offices such as county legislator, state House, and state Senate.

2005

Between January and July 2005, POP trains more than 540 women in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Virginia, Arizona, and New York.

As of July 2005, POP has trained more than 3,100 potential and declared women candidates and staff since the program launched in 2001.

2004

During the 2004 election cycle, POP holds 40 training seminars in 29 states and contributes to the campaigns of 225 POP candidates. 140 win seats across the country. POP victories help Democrats regain control of six legislative chambers and put pro-choice Democratic women in key leadership positions, in some cases for the first time in a state's history.

2003

Among POP-supported wins, Kamala Harris becomes the first African American district attorney in California history, and Annise Parker becomes the first openly gay candidate to win a citywide race in Houston.

2002

During the 2002 election cycle, POP holds 25 training seminars in 22 states, training 961 potential state and local candidates and staff. EMILY's List contributes to 164 pro-choice Democratic women running in competitive races for state offices. Eighty-six of these women won — nearly half of them new to their offices.

2001

EMILY's List launches the Political Opportunity Program (POP), which trains women who are either running or considering running for state legislative, constitutional, and key local offices. Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner gets wind of the new program and invites POP to Delaware to train in her state.

2000

The number of women serving in state legislatures declines for the first time in 30 years.