He Runs, She Runs: Why Gender Stereotypes Do Not Harm Women Candidates

"Brooks argues that women candidates are not harmed by gender stereotypes, a position that challenges much of the conventional wisdom explaining why women candidates lose to male opponents. The book begins by outlining the accepted theories on why gender matters in political campaigns. The concise review is a nice summary of this body of research."—Choice

"This fascinating book debunks the most commonly offered explanation for why progress toward gender parity in elected representation has stalled. Surprisingly, Brooks finds that male and female politicians are subject to similar expectations from voters, suggesting that our widespread belief in a double standard is an impediment to encouraging more women to run for office. Good news seldom makes headlines, but Brooks' findings need to be widely disseminated."—Diana Mutz, University of Pennsylvania

"This is one of the most important books about gender and politics written in the last twenty-five years. It challenges what we know and is sure to influence how we think about gender. He Runs, She Runs is required reading for anyone interested in the role of women in the workings of democracy."—James Druckman, Northwestern University

"He Runs, She Runs is a provocative analysis of gender stereotypes in U.S. campaigns. With original experimental data, Brooks sheds light on when stereotypes do and don't matter. This engaging book provides important insights into gender and candidacy, and is a valuable contribution to the field."—Kira Sanbonmatsu, Rutgers University

"It seems almost a given that women face a range of disadvantages as political candidates. In this book, Brooks does a masterful job setting up the conventional wisdom before showing that the conventional wisdom is wrong. Accessible, timely, and important, He Runs, She Runs takes on a question that will interest a wide range of people—scholars and political observers alike."—Marc J. Hetherington, Vanderbilt University