See Jane Run: How Women Politicians Matter for Young People

by David E. Campbell, Christina Wolbrecht

The definitive analysis of how the presence of women politicians affects young people.


From Kamala Harris to Nikki Haley, women in public life are widely expected to inspire young people, especially girls, to follow in their footsteps. See Jane Run provides the definitive analysis of women politicians as role models. With wide-ranging data and attention to gender, race, and party, David E. Campbell and Christina Wolbrecht find that women in politics help convince young people, regardless of gender, that women are capable of political leadership. For young women, women role models enhance faith in democracy and inspire political engagement, including running for office themselves. As role models, women politicians help ensure a more inclusive democracy.

256 pages, Paperback

Published April 11, 2025

About the author

David E. Campbell is the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame. He is the co-author American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us and Seeking the Promised Land: Mormons and American Politics, as well as numerous other publications on religion, civic engagement, and American politics. Campbell is a nationally recognized expert in the study of religion's role in American politics.