Survey: Minorities make up 14 percent of state lawmakers

The New American Leaders Project surveyed state lawmakers in 2015 and found that black politicians held around 9 percent of the seats, Latino and Latina politicians held about 4 percent of the seats and Asian American politicians held about 2 percent of the seats.

Sayu Bhojwani, president and founder of the New American Leaders Project, said the major political parties could do more to help usher more minority candidates to state-level offices.

The survey also found a gender gap in state Legislatures, with women holding 24 percent of the lawmaking jobs and men holding 76 percent.