This paper establishes the presence of a substantial gender gap in the relationship between state legislature service … and the subsequent pursuit of a Congressional career. The empirical approach uses a sample of mixed-gender elections to … legislature seats. This gender gap in advancing to Congress among state legislators is not generated by gender differences in …

This paper establishes the presence of a substantial gender gap in the relationship between state legislature service … and the subsequent pursuit of a Congressional career. The empirical approach uses a sample of mixed-gender elections to … legislature seats. This gender gap in advancing to Congress among state legislators is not generated by gender differences in …

characteristics. This aspiration gap can explain a large part of the gender promotion gap that is observed later. We propose a model … managing, career aspirations as an early intervention to close gender career gaps. …