The 2018 midterm elections paved the way for a record-breaking number of women to hold seats in Congress. But the gains were limited to one side of the aisle: out of the 127 females on Capitol Hill, only 21 are Republicans.

A new crop of contenders is hoping to shift the imbalance in Washington and beyond, NBC News reports.

They are a diverse bunch — prosecutors and homemakers, business leaders and federal workers. Some are gearing up for local elections. Others, like Valerie Ramirez Mukherjee of Illinois, are running for a seat in Congress straight away.

An investment manager who is pro-choice, pro-gay rights and concerned about climate change, Ramirez Mukherjee said she's stepping up in the hope of helping to change the perception of her party.

"I want to get out there and show people that you can be a Republican and be considerate and kind and diverse," said Ramirez Mukherjee. "We need to have new role models in the party."

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