Republican men and women are deeply divided over how to confront the results of a brutal midterm election that decimated the ranks of female GOP lawmakers in the House.

Most House Republicans have so far shown little appetite for performing an autopsy on the 2018 election cycle and publicly identifying the root of their tough losses, which were stark among female voters, particularly in the suburbs.

ADVERTISEMENT

But a vocal chorus of Republican women has been sounding the alarm to address what they view as a crisis, calling on party leaders to be more aggressive in devising a strategy to reverse the trend by the next election cycle.

“I encourage our party leaders to be more aggressive in seeking out and helping younger candidates, female candidates and candidates of color,” said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Ileana Carmen Ros-Lehtinen'Trump show' convention sparks little interest on K Street Shalala to face Salazar in Florida rematch TechNet hires Hispanic communications director MORE (R-Fla.), who is retiring. “We have to step up our game or risk having the nation look upon us as the political party of the grandparents.”

“Wake up, dudes,” she added.

Some GOP women are even vowing to go on their own missions to bring female candidates and voters back into the arms of the party next year.

Rep. Elise Stefanik Elise Marie StefanikRepublicans cast Trump as best choice for women The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Pence rips Biden as radical risk GOP women offer personal testimonials on Trump MORE (R-N.Y.), who led recruitment efforts for the House GOP’s campaign arm this cycle, made waves this week when she announced plans to get involved in primary races to help more Republican women get elected to Congress.

Rep. Tom Emmer Thomas (Tom) Earl EmmerHouse Democrats' campaign arm reserves .6M in ads in competitive districts The Hill's Convention Report: Trump to attack Biden at final night of convention | Speech comes amid hurricane, racial justice protests | Biden accuses Trump of 'rooting' for violence Republicans cast Trump as best choice for women MORE (R-Minn.), the chairman-elect of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), called the idea a “mistake.”

“NEWSFLASH I wasn’t asking for permission,” Stefanik fired back in a tweet. “I will continue speaking out [about] the crisis level of GOP women in Congress & will try to lead and change that by supporting strong GOP women candidates through my leadership PAC.”

Tensions have started to spill out into public view in the wake of a slow-moving blue wave that handed the House back to Democrats for the first time since 2010. And Republican women suffered a stinging blow, with their ranks poised to shrink from 23 down to 13 next year.

That comes in stark contrast to House Democrats, who will see a record 89 women serving in Congress, nearly seven times the number of Republican women.

“I think the Republicans have to get off of defense on this issue,” Rep. Liz Cheney Elizabeth (Liz) Lynn CheneyOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Cheney asks DOJ to probe environmental groups | Kudlow: 'No sector worse hurt than energy' during pandemic | Trump pledges 'no politics' in Pebble Mine review Cheney asks DOJ to probe environmental groups Press: The big no-show at the RNC MORE (R-Wyo.), who was recently elected to be GOP conference chairwoman, told The Washington Post. “We need more women running for office, no doubt.”

Republican women faced especially tough political headwinds this year. Exit polls suggest that President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE’s deep unpopularity, particularly among women and college-educated voters in the suburbs, helped fuel the major Democratic gains.

That could pose a serious problem for the GOP as it tries to win over voters and ramp up female recruitment efforts in 2020, when Trump will be at the top of the ticket.

The widening gender gap between the two parties has been a real source of pain and frustration for Republican women, and particularly Stefanik, a rising GOP star who was, until this year, the youngest woman elected to Congress.

Stefanik, 34, was credited with doubling the number of female GOP candidates who were recruited to run for congressional seats this year. But only one woman — Rep.-elect Carol Miller Carol Devine MillerPartial disengagement based on democratic characteristics: A new era of US-China economic relations The Hill's Coronavirus Report: CDC predicts US death toll could reach 145,000 by July 11; Premier President Michael Alkire says more resiliency needed in health supply chain Shelley Moore Capito wins Senate primary MORE (R-W.Va.) — won her race.

Stefanik reportedly pressed the two male lawmakers running for GOP minority leader during a candidate forum last month about their plans to help more Republican women win their races, but she was disappointed by their responses.

“I was struck that I really didn’t get an answer,” Stefanik told The Washington Post.

House Republicans have been reluctant, at least publicly, to diagnose the reasons for their electoral losses and discuss ways to correct course — a stark contrast to the 2006 and 2012 election cycles, though some Republicans point out that the infamous 2012 autopsy report was largely ignored.

ADVERTISEMENT

Despite the 40-seat drubbing, there were few calls for a wholesale change in leadership. The GOP conference elevated Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Kevin Owen McCarthyMcCarthy's Democratic challenger to launch first TV ad highlighting Air Force service as single mother Trump asked Chamber of Commerce to reconsider Democratic endorsements: report The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - White House moves closer to Pelosi on virus relief bill MORE (Calif.) and Majority Whip Steve Scalise Stephen (Steve) Joseph ScaliseHouse GOP slated to unveil agenda ahead of election House panel details 'serious' concerns around Florida, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin elections Scalise hit with ethics complaint over doctored Barkan video MORE (La.) to the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively, and elected Cheney to replace Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers Cathy McMorris RodgersHillicon Valley: Trump backs potential Microsoft, TikTok deal, sets September deadline | House Republicans request classified TikTok briefing | Facebook labels manipulated Pelosi video Top House Republicans request classified TikTok briefing More than 100 lawmakers urge IRS to resolve stimulus payment issues MORE (Wash.) as conference chairwoman.

Few Republicans have been interested in talking publicly about the negative effects Trump has had when it comes to the GOP’s standing with women.

“I think people know what happened, but in certain positions it’s difficult to say those things,” said retiring Rep. Ryan Costello Ryan Anthony CostellloTrump struggles to stay on script, frustrating GOP again Bottom line Former GOP Rep. Costello launches lobbying shop MORE (R-Pa.), a vocal Trump critic. “The president was on the ballot. The president himself said he was on the ballot.”

Some in the party believe an autopsy report would be premature at this point.

And Emmer, who will take the reins of the House GOP’s campaign arm, disputed the notion that Republicans weren’t being proactive about figuring out what went wrong.

“We’re being incredibly introspective. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve just started,” he said. “We’re going to be doing some deep review of the issues most important to the voters we didn’t get.”

Emmer also defended the party’s efforts to elect women this cycle, pointing out that Stefanik successfully recruited 100 female candidates to run for office and that Democratic mega-donors like Michael Bloomberg targeted their female incumbents.

He said it’s a major priority for him to replenish the dwindling number of GOP women in Congress. The NRCC is in the process of building a new program aimed at getting more female candidates over the finish line, and Emmer plans to gather input directly from House Republican women in devising the strategy, though it will not involve playing in primaries.

“We need to elect more Elise Stefaniks, more Liz Cheneys,” Emmer said.

Stefanik, who faced a competitive primary race in 2014, isn’t the only female Republican vowing to intervene in primaries.

Sarah Chamberlain, president and CEO of the Republican Main Street Partnership, is also vowing to get involved earlier in the primary process and spend big on top female recruits.

She argued that Democrats have the advantage of a long-standing centralized effort to recruit and support female candidates in the form of EMILY’s List, which was founded in 1985. Republican organizations to support female candidates don’t have the same level of prominence and haven’t been around as long.

Chamberlain pointed to GOP congressional candidate Ashley Nickloes, a military pilot who lost a seven-way primary in a safe Republican district in Tennessee, as someone who would have benefited from early intervention and funding.

“She was a perfect candidate … I could have gotten her through,” Chamberlain said. “I’m not gonna leave one on the table again.”