InGenderingtheGOP,CatherineN.Wineingerarguesthattotrulyunderstandtheevolutionofwomen’scongressionalrepresentation,itisnecessarytomovebeyondananalysisoflegislativebehaviorandtowardananalysisofintrapartygenderdynamics.UnlikepreviousresearchonwomeninCongress,WineingerfocusesexclusivelyontheexperiencesofRepublicancongresswomentouncoversomeofthegenderedimplicationsofcongressionalpolarization.Developinganoveltheoryof“partisan-genderidentity,“definedasacategoricalidentitythatsitsattheintersectionofone’spartisanaffiliationandgenderidentity,GenderingtheGOParguesthatRepublicanwomeninCongressarenotmerelygender-blindpartisans.Infact,polarizationandpartycompetitionhaveincentivizedRepublicanwomentoorganizearoundtheirpartisan-genderidentityanddistinguishthemselvesfrombothDemocraticwomenandRepublicanmen.Insodoing,Republicancongresswomenhaveincreasedtheirvisibilityaspartymessengers,whilesimultaneouslyupholdingapartyculturethatlimitswomen’spresenceandpowerintheinstitution.ThroughextensiveinterviewswithwomenmembersofCongressandin-depthanalysesofHousefloorspeeches,WineingerdetailshowwomenhavebothnavigatedandshapedexistinggenderdynamicswithintheHouseGOPconference.
