Washington ? The year 2002 was supposed to be another year of the woman, a repeat of 1992 when a record number of women were elected to Congress. But it’s not turning out that way. The possibility exists that after the votes are counted in November, there could be fewer women in the House of Representatives. Incumbents in both parties have done such a good job insuring their re-election that there are not many opportunities for challengers.

Congressional district lines are redrawn every 10 years based on the latest census numbers to reflect the shifting population. A decade ago, the new lines created a large number of open seats where challengers could run without having to face a powerful incumbent.

There are only a handful of open seats this time around, and several women lawmakers have been pitted against male colleagues in redistricting fights when both members lay claim to a single seat. One particularly nasty encounter occurred when Michigan Rep. Lynn Rivers, a relative newcomer having first been elected in 1994, took on a fellow Democrat and the longest-serving member of the House, Rep. John Dingell, who won his seat in 1955, when President Eisenhower was in the White House.

Rivers argued that, as a single mother who had worked her way through college, she had a better understanding of the challenges that average voters face, and that the 76-year-old Dingell, by virtue of his long service, was out of touch. The voters didn’t buy her campaign claim that a history of being downtrodden qualified her for Congress. She might bring a different perspective, but people were more interested in performance. Rivers lost to Dingell by 18 points in the primary this year.

Other women running in competitive races took notice of Rivers’ loss. Gender appeals may be a subtext, but women with the best shots at winning are running performance-based campaigns. Democratic New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen was elected and re-elected governor before going to the voters with her record and asking them to send her to the U.S. Senate. Her race is rated a toss-up. She would become the first woman to move from governor to senator.

Women are poised to make their greatest gains in statehouses across the country. Women in five states (Arizona, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland and Michigan) are favored to win governor’s races. And women are competitive in at least three more states, including New Hampshire, where two successive female governors would be another first for the state. In Michigan, Jennifer Granholm, currently the state’s attorney general, is leading in the polls and has created great excitement among Democrats for her campaign skills. The charismatic Granholm would be talked about as a future president except she was born in Canada, and the Constitution requires presidents to be born in this country.

The female gubernatorial contenders doing the best are those who have proven themselves. Democrat Kathleen Sebelius in Kansas has run and won election as state insurance commissioner, so she is no stranger to the voters. Conversely, the candidate once favored to win, Maryland’s governorship, Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, is having the hardest time proving she is more than a famous name and heir to a legacy. Eight years as lieutenant governor have not convinced Maryland voters that Townsend has earned the right to be governor.

Prediction: Voters want women to succeed on their own. Appeals for special treatment based on gender, past discrimination or family history fall on deaf ears. The key to equality at the polling place is a record of performance that can withstand opposition.

Political Correspondent Eleanor Clift contributed to this column.