About Us

Our Mission: To increase the number of Democratic women leaders from diverse backgrounds in public office through recruitment, training and providing a powerful network.

Our Vision: To change the face of power, politics and leadership in this country in order to have policies that are responsive to all Americans.

Since our founding in 2005, we have expanded the Emerge affiliates in 27 states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,  Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin—and trained over 4,000 women.

Emerge New Jersey is changing the face of New Jersey politics by identifying, training and encouraging women to run for office, get elected and to seek higher office. Our intensive, cohort-based six-month training program is unique. As the number of elected Democratic women remains flat or even declines, the need for our work is growing.

In the 235 years since its statehood, New Jersey has elected a total of 5 women to the U.S. House of Representatives, 0 women to the U.S. Senate and 1 women as Governor of New Jersey. Of 120 State Legislators, only 35 are women.

A pool of highly qualified Democratic candidates is being left untapped. Too often, women do not see themselves running for office—they assume they aren’t experienced enough or they don’t know where to begin. Emerge New Jersey is changing that!

Emerge

Emerge New Jersey is a state affiliate of Emerge, which has trained more than 4,000 women to run for office since 2002. Emerge alumnae across the country have won more the 1,000 elections to date and hold office at every level of government. There are currently Emerge affiliates in 27 states — Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,  Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin with plans to expand to more soon. Women who graduate from Emerge New Jersey’s training program are plugged into both the state network of Emerge New Jersey alumnae, as well as the national network of Emerge alumnae across the country.

Why Women?

• Studies have shown women in elected office overwhelmingly support and push forward democratic principles like equality and fairness.
• When women hold public office they are more actively involved in a variety of gender-salient issue areas, including healthcare, the economy, education and the environment.
• Women legislators are more responsive to constituents, value cooperation over hierarchical power and find ways to engineer solutions in situations where men have trouble finding common ground.