We recruit outstanding women candidates for open and flippable state legislative seats. Our targeted, research-backed strategy is nationally recognized as a model to achieve values-driven gender parity in politics.
After a decade of transformative results in California, Close the Gap is expanding to make a national impact.
Real change comes when we build with the type of long-term investments that Close the Gap specializes in and we could not be more excited to add their expertise to execute on our shared vision for a better Florida.
Organizations such as Florida Pipeline Project and Ruth’s List have laid the groundwork for fruitful collaboration. Our proven targeted recruiting strategy will build on their success.
Who We Recruit
We work only with self-identified women committed to these core priorities:
Reproductive freedom
Public education funding
Combating poverty
We recruit for open and flippable state legislative seats, two years out from elections. Two-thirds of CTG Recruits are women of color.
State and local offices are decisive battlegrounds for our democracy–and they serve as the talent pipeline for federal office. The women Close the Gap knows how to recruit can close representation gaps. If we can leverage the motherlode of open seats starting in 2028, we can accelerate progress on high-stakes policy issues and improve the national political outlook by 2030.
The window of opportunity for change in Florida is now:
- While 28% of Floridians are women of color, only 17% of legislators are women of color.
- In 2028 and 2030, 89 seats will be open due to term limits—more than half of the Legislature.
- Floridians hold views that are more moderate than the state’s leadership, as evidenced by 57% support for 2023’s abortion access ballot measure.
- Florida has nearly equal numbers of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. Yet Republicans hold a supermajority of the 160 seats in the Legislature.
Florida is one of the most diverse states in the nation, but its Legislature is starkly unrepresentative of the population. It’s time for change!
Contact Florida State Director Sabrina Bousbar at [email protected] for more information and opportunities to connect.
Representation doesn’t just happen, it’s built through intentional recruitment, and training and support. And Close the Gap, specifically the proactive and data-driven approach, perfectly complements the work that we’ve been doing in Florida to strengthen our progressive bench.
Close the Gap is proud to begin our work in Florida in partnership with Florida Pipeline Project, moving forward our shared values! Together, CTG and FPP will work to advance gender parity in the 2028 and 2030 election cycles and build legislative power by closing representation gaps in key districts.
