(MCT) — WASHINGTON — Twenty years after the “year of the woman” election, when a record number of female candidates joined the storied “Senate club,” female lawmakers will be seen in even greater numbers in the halls of Congress come January.

Senate Democrats have added four new female members and Senate Republicans have added one, bringing the female ranks in the upper chamber to 20, a historic high. It resulted in a net gain of two seats for the Democrats, for a 55-45 advantage over Republicans because the Senate’s two independents caucus with the Democrats.