WASHINGTON INSIGHT

MORE YEARS OF THE WOMAN? Women’s groups, flush from a near-doubling of female House members and a tripling of female senators in last November’s elections, now are shooting for big gains in governor’s mansions. Women are strong nominees in Virginia and New Jersey this year--and two dozen women are looking at gubernatorial races in 18 states next year, including three incumbents and a strong challenger in California, state Treasurer Kathleen Brown. “Big wins could prepare a greater number of women for potential White House candidacies,” said Harriett Woods, president of the National Women’s Political Caucus. But, she warned, victories may not come as easily as in 1992, when there were many open seats, a push for change and strong voter reaction to the Anita Faye Hill-Clarence Thomas conflict. . . . At her group’s convention in Los Angeles next month, “we will launch a mammoth recruiting of candidates” at every level of government and “a much more sophisticated targeting of races,” Woods said.