More than 300 women are running for House seats, shattering record

A record-breaking 309 women are running for seats in the House of Representatives this year, with many seeking to win in districts that have never had a female representative.

The previous record was set in 2012, when 298 women from the two major parties sought election to the House. The majority of the women candidates this year are running as Democrats, The Associated Press reports, and many are motivated by discontent with President Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress.

There are additionally a record-breaking 40 women running in governor's races, and the number of women running for office is expected to grow as filing deadlines near. So far, 29 women are running for Senate seats, which is lower than 2016's record of 40 female candidates.

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Currently, four out of every five members of the House are men. This year's elections offer a unique opportunity to increase the number of women in Congress, AP reports, because of how many incumbent lawmakers are retiring or resigning, leaving more open seats than usual for women to fill. Read more at The Associated Press.