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Across the country, Democrats are frustrated, angry, and, in many cases, feeling defeated. After hard-fought losses, stalled progress, and relentless attacks on our rights, it’s easy to wonder where we go from here. The question we should be asking: What could we be doing differently?

The answer is clear—and it’s long overdue: Invest in first-time female candidates.

If we want to rebuild and sustain Democratic power, we need to stop recycling the same political figures and start championing the women who are ready to lead right now. These are women who know their communities, who understand the stakes, and who are already doing the work. They just need the resources and support to run.

Politics is still dominated by the familiar: candidates who have held power for decades, backed by entrenched networks and donor circles. Women—especially women of color, working-class women, and LGBTQ+ women—are often told they need more experience, more connections, or simply that it’s “not their time.” The result? A political pipeline that leaves out the very people we need most.

Despite making up over 50% of the U.S. population, women currently hold just 28.9% of seats in Congress, 33% of statewide elective offices, and less than 32% of state legislative seats. The numbers are even more stark when it comes to women of color. We talk about building reflective democracy, but we’re nowhere close.

First-time female candidates face steep structural and financial barriers that keep too many from even filing to run. And when voters see the same names on the ballot cycle after cycle, enthusiasm wanes. Hope shrinks. And the progress we desperately need stalls.

But here’s what we know: When first-time female candidates are given the opportunity, they change everything.

They bring urgency and authenticity to the table—along with lived experience that career politicians too often lack. They’re teachers, nurses, moms, organizers, survivors. They meet voters where they are, and they don’t shy away from hard conversations. Their campaigns often look different, feel different, and most importantly—bring new people into the process.

We’ve seen these women win against the odds and deliver real results. They energize disillusioned voters, expand the electorate, and push our politics closer to the people it’s meant to serve.

Here’s how we can do things differently:

1. Early financial support. Money remains one of the biggest barriers for first-time female candidates. The earlier we give—through small-dollar donations, fundraisers, and strategic PAC investments—the more time they have to build winning campaigns.
2. Training and mentorship. We can’t assume women know how to navigate the often opaque world of political fundraising, compliance, and media. We need programs that equip them with the tools—and mentors—that demystify the process.
3. Institutional backing. PACs, parties, and advocacy groups must take risks. Supporting women shouldn’t only happen when it’s safe. If we want different outcomes, we need to back different candidates—and that starts with women who’ve never run before.

We’re facing unprecedented challenges—and we won’t meet them with business as usual. The road forward requires bold leadership, fresh energy, and the kind of courage first-time female candidates bring to every room they enter.

Let’s stop asking women to wait their turn. Let’s start investing in them now.

Caroline Welles is the Executive Director at The First Ask a political action committee committed to advancing the representation and influence of progressive women in state legislatures across the nation.