7 of the most powerful women in politics in 2019

From Nancy Pelosi leading the impeachment of President Trump to Elizabeth Warren becoming a top candidate in the presidential race, it has been a historic year for women in politics. Here are the most powerful women in politics this year.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi holds a history-making role in the U.S. government as the first and only woman to serve as speaker of the House. She is currently the most powerful woman serving in a U.S. elected office. Among the many things Pelosi achieved this year, one of her biggest moments was effectively leading the force in the historic impeachment of President Trump. In addition, she led the charge to pass new gun control legislation for the first time in a generation.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

AOC is a powerhouse and has proven time and time again she's a force be reckoned with. This year, she, along with Sen. Edward Markey, introduced the Green New Deal, a plan that seeks to get the world to net-zero emissions by 2050. In her freshman term, her influence has expanded beyond just policy. Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, became part of what has been named "The Squad," comprising her and three other congresswomen, which took countless hits from the president this year. Still, the women used their voices to elevate immigrants and women of color. Whether she's grilling Mark Zuckerberg or calling out President Trump, AOC doesn't back down.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren

Democratic presidential candidate Warren is a front-runner in the primaries, according to a new CNN poll. Warren, who is in her second term as a U.S. Senator, has made it her presidential platform to go after billionaires. She is known for taking the time to take a selfie with every single person who wants one at her rallies. We will continue to watch as she continues her campaign for 2020.

Ivanka Trump

The president's daughter, Ivanka, is a key player in the Trump administration, serving as one of President Trump's senior advisers. This year, she stepped further into the political spotlight when she accompanied the president to the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, and attended official meetings with her father. While being an obvious supporter of the president's agenda, Ivanka still sometimes breaks away from his ideology. After two deadly mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, in August, Ivanka encouraged Congress on social media to "close background check loopholes" and expand "red flag laws."

Rep. Elise Stefanik

While there are 106 Democratic women in Congress, there are only 21 Republican congresswomen. Stefanik is one of those and is dedicated to making that number rise. The 35-year-old representative for New York's 21st congressional district is the youngest Republican woman ever elected to Congress. She was 30 when she was first elected and is now in her third term. Stefanik has used her position to bring more women into elected positions in the GOP. In January, she relaunched a political action committee to focus solely on recruiting women and helping them win elections, Time reported.

Rep. Liz Cheney

In the thin field of Republican women, Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney is near the top. She currently holds the third-highest position in GOP House, the same seat her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, held. More impressively, Cheney achieved that position after just one term in Congress. Cheney gave a passionate speech on the House floor before President Trump was impeached, warning that "impeachment may permanently damage our republic."

Sen. Kamala Harris

Although Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California, is no longer running for president, she's still made an impact this year. She fearlessly took on Joe Biden in the debates over busing and was undoubtedly the most shocking exit from the race thus far. Harris had even qualified for a December debate but dropped out of the race because she was running dangerously low on funds. Joe Biden said he would consider Harris as a running mate, and should they win, we may see Harris in the White House after all.