At the beginning of the 2010 election cycle, many commentators and pundits believed that this was the year to run as a woman. We saw a record number of women run and a lot of excitement around their candidacy. Yet after the
midterm elections
were over and done, we saw
the numbers for women in Congress not increase since 1987! Despite those odds, we are keeping our eyes on a couple of women who could do amazing things in 2011. Here are our
11 Women to Watch in 2011.
Terri Sewell - freshman Congresswoman out of Alabama, is the first African American woman to be elected from the state. With the same pedigree as the
First Lady Michelle Obama, undergraduate degree from Princeton and law degree from Harvard University, she is definitely one to watch.
Kirsten Gillibrand - after lobbying successfully for the passage of the 9/11 Act and repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", this freshman senator solidified herself as a force to be reckoned with. And after winning her election by a landslide this past November, she proved that she deserved to walk in
Hillary Clinton's footsteps.
Elizabeth Warren - recently featured on the
Political Girl for her photo opt in Vogue, she was recently appointed by President Obama to as Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection, she is charged with protecting the American people for another failure of the Wall Street banks.
Kamala Harris - the newly elected District Attorney of California is already making the media rounds with a
profile in Politico and an upcoming spread in
Harper's Bazaar
, however she has made it clear that her first priority is keeping the residents of California safe.
Michelle Rhee - When she stormed into Washington, DC 3 years ago she had the city buzzing by firing hundreds of students and closing over 20 schools. With the defeat of DC Mayor Adrian Fenty in September, she decided to leave the post and recently announced on Oprah that she was starting
Students First, an organization to support student reform around the country.
Find out who else made the list by clicking below!
Kirsten Gillibrand - after lobbying successfully for the passage of the 9/11 Act and repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", this freshman senator solidified herself as a force to be reckoned with. And after winning her election by a landslide this past November, she proved that she deserved to walk in Hillary Clinton's footsteps. 
Kamala Harris - the newly elected District Attorney of California is already making the media rounds with a profile in Politico and an upcoming spread in Harper's Bazaar
Michelle Rhee - When she stormed into Washington, DC 3 years ago she had the city buzzing by firing hundreds of students and closing over 20 schools. With the defeat of DC Mayor Adrian Fenty in September, she decided to leave the post and recently announced on Oprah that she was starting Students First, an organization to support student reform around the country. 
