Happy Friday! Welcome to our Media Round Up. Each week we’re collecting and sharing our favorite gender + politics stories. Here’s what caught our eye this week:

How Kathy Hochul Went From Unexpected Governor to Clear Front-Runner

Nicholas Fandos, New York Times

When Kathy Hochul became Governor of New York last year, she was unlike any governor before her. While many suspected that Governor Hochul would be trailing behind a frontrunner in the midterm elections, she is currently poised to win the Democratic Party’s nomination and the primary. To date, Governor Hochul has raised more campaign funds than her opponents combined, and she has put a new face to New York State government. Through significant fundraising, the formation of ground-breaking relationships, long work days and other factors, Governor Kathy Hochul has secured her place as the clear front-runner in the gubernatorial race.

Read the full story here.

Activists who defended VP Harris now mobilizing for Supreme Court pick

Annie Linskey, Washington Post

During and after the 2020 Presidential Election, groups of Black women activists came together to push back against what they saw as racist and sexist vitriol against Vice President Harris on social media; now, they are doing the same for President Biden’s pending Supreme Court Nomination. UltaViolet, She Will Rise, and The Black Women’s Round Table are planning actions like defense projects via social media, rallies and huddles with the White House to ensure the protection of President Biden’s Supreme Court Nominee pick.

“If you are not thinking about the next vacancy until the vacancy arises, you’re about 10 years late,” said Kim Tignor, who helped found She Will Rise. “So we thought that it was really important for communities of color to be thinking about the shortlist constantly.”

Read the full story here.

Women Are More Likely to Get Elected to Local Bodies Than to National Parliaments

Akshi Chawla, Ms. Representation

Globally, women represent a little over one-third of elected members in local governments. As representation of women in politics continues to grow on a local level, at the subnational and national levels of government, women remain severely underrepresented. Experts suggest that higher power levels and higher pay directly correlate with a man’s interest in the position. In addition, male incumbency in higher-level positions gives men an advantage over women when running for office.

Read the full story here.

Legislature’s ‘Great Resignation’ provides great opportunity for women

Susannah Delano, Cal Matters

This year, California will see more than a quarter of their legislative positions vacated. This “great resignation” is due to multiple factors: “redistricting … a domino effect of open seats as members seek new roles; and the reckoning of term limit reform passed in 2012.” The vast vacancies in legislative positions provides California with the chance to increase women’s representation in the body.

Read the full story here.

North Carolina no longer requires a doctor’s prescription for birth control. But who can afford it?

Mariel Padilla, The 19^th*

As of February 1^st, people in North Carolina can buy over the counter birth control at drug stores and community pharmacies after a brief consultation with a pharmacist. On one hand, research shows that this will overwhelmingly help people trying to prevent pregnancy by cutting out the middle person for a prescription. Some experts argue, though, that while this law provides easier access to contraceptives, without insurance covering the cost of the birth control it will leave certain groups disproportionally affected.

Read the full story here.