20 Women to Watch in 2014

Mid-term election year is here! Super excited to see what the year has in store for many of the candidates running for office all over the country. Jennifer Armstrong, co-founder of sexyfeminist.com, published an article today that I just adore: 20 Women to Watch in Politics in 2014. There were a few women on the list that I expected to see - a few women I've actually recently written about. However, there were a few individuals on the list that I wasn't too familiar with and am now interested in learning more about. 

Below is a list of the 20 Women included in the article, three of whom I'm looking forward to learning more about.  

1. Hillary Clinton 
2. Wendy Davis
3. Leticia Van de Putte
4. Mary Burke
5. Amanda Renteria
6. Allyson Schwartz
7. Susana Martinez
8. Elizabeth Warren
9. Nina Pillard
10. Alison Lundergan Grimes
11. Kirsten Gillibrand
12. Natalie Tennant
13. Shelley Moore Capito 
14. Terri Lynn Land
15. Heather Mizeur
16. Martha Coakley
17. Kamala Harris
18. Mia Love
19. Michelle Nunn
20. Gina Raimondo 

Leticia Van de Putte, Candidate for Lt. Governor of Texas. 
Although Wendy Davis' filibuster was an extremely hot topic in Texas, Van de Putte, you'll recall, is the one who showed up to the filibuster from her father's funeral and asked, "At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be recognized over her male colleagues? Van de Putte - alongside Davis - offer a strong chance that two women will lead a majority party's ticket for the first time in the state's history. And even though as Democrats, they still face an uphill battle in the conservative stronghold, their presence in the election guarantees all candidates will be paying more attention to female voters. 

Susana Martinez, Governor of New Mexico. 
A Republican, Martinez is the state's first female governor and the first Hispanic woman to run the state - and this year, she was named one of Time's most influential people in the world. She pushed for tough education reforms and budget cutbacks, including selling the state's luxury jet for $2.5 million. She's also earned one of the highest approval ratings in the country, never dropping below 60 percent, and she's been mentioned as a possible running mate for Chris Christie in 2016. 

Kamala Harris, California's Attorney General. 
When Harris was elected Attorney General in 2010, she became the first African-American and first Indian-American to hold the office in the state. In the position, she's cracked down on hate crimes and negotiated a huge deal with mortgage lenders to help end the foreclosure crisis, and she's running for reelection in 2014. She is becoming increasingly known as a front-runner to succeed California Governor Jerry Brown in 2018.