Tracy-Ann Jennings never imagined herself managing political campaigns, let alone running her own…This month, she arranged childcare for three of her kids, strapped her youngest into a car seat and drove to Detroit to attend a training program for female aspiring candidates and campaign managers. Almost immediately, others told her she was setting her sights too low, urging her to consider running for office.

Women comprise a little over half of the U.S. population, but only one state, Nevada, has ever had a female-majority legislature. This year, Congress set a record with highest percentage of women representatives — but 72 percent of members are still men.

About 40 percent of Michigan lawmakers serving this session are women: 15 of 38 senators are women, while there are 43 women, one binary member and 64 men in the House (which is down two members after lawmakers stepped down for local roles). It would take 17 more women for a majority-female [Michigan] Legislature, a number advocates say is within reach.