Already in 2018, women candidates have broken the records for the number of candidates for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Depending on how the midterms go, they may make history again.

The November elections could see the first black woman to serve as governor, the first Native American woman in Congress and the first openly bisexual senator, among other firsts.

Recently- re-elected president of Mali, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita named 35-year-old Kamissa Camara as the minister for foreign affairs in his recent cabinet reshuffle.

With a rich background in foreign affairs and policies, Camara becomes the first woman to hold this post in the history of Mali.

All congressional primary elections other than Louisiana (which holds a jungle primary on November 6th) are now complete, giving us the opportunity to take stock of women's candidacies and put their successes into context. Note that our findings on primary success and nominations do not include Lousiana's congressional candidates, nor any contests that remain too close to call.

Women congressional candidates have run for and won nominations in record numbers this year.

As the 2019 general elections draw near, those who want to wrest power from the governor of Jigawa State, Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar, are busy strategising. To this end, their posters have virtually taken over major towns of the state.

For the meantime, however, most aspirants are from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).