With Election Day still three months, this already is called "The Year of the Woman" in American politics. That's because a notably large number of female candidates are running for governor, Congress and state legislatures. Two won Democratic nominations last week in Michigan (Gretchen Whitmer) and Kansas (Laura Kelly) primaries for governor. In all, 11 women are nominated so far for governorships this year and six more lead or are close to leading their primary races. In Georgia and Maine, female nominees could be the first women elected to lead their states.

This Tuesday, a woman running for governor is on Minnesota ballots and two seek the Democratic nomination in Wisconsin to challenge Gov. Scott Walker. America now has six female governors. "This could be a real dramatic year of electing women, of women turning out, of women deciding elections," says Gretchen Whitmer, who beat two men in Michigan's Democratic primary for governor.

At the same time, a new record of 184 women have won primaries for U.S. House seats, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University – and nominating season isn't done. Eighty-four women are in Congress now, 19 percent of the total. "There are signs that an energized base of women will play a significant — and probably defining — role in the outcome" of Nov. 6 elections for all 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 U.S. Senate seats, writes Washington Post politics analyst Philip Bump. At the Brookings Institute research center, a recent report says: "If enough of these women get elected in 2018 to tip control of the House to the Democrats, we could see significant changes to the congressional agenda."

Some journalists use the phrase "pink wave" to describe this Year of the Women, though others resent that old-school stereotype from a "girls like pink" belief. Looking beyond this fall, a woman could run for president again in 2020. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is a national leader on progressive issues and is widely seen as a possible White House contender.

Legislator says: "We're not to be gawked at, laughed at, or trifled with. We're not tokens or oddities or sideshows. We are entering an age when the power of women is no longer a question, but an answer to the problems plaguing our world." -- Harriette Chandler, Democratic state senator in Massachusetts

Professor says: "Women grabbed the mantle of activism right after (President Donald) Trump won and went with it with this big, dynamic movement. . . . Marching in the streets is great, but the way to make that into reality is to have women at the table in the legislature." -- Janine Lanza, Wayne State University (Detroit)

Blogger says: "There's a pink wave in Michigan and nationwide. Ignore it at your peril." – Susan Demas at eclectablog.com