Women and Politics

Congratulations and thank you to all of our 2009 Endorsed Candidates! Thank you for running, and thank you for setting an example for other women to follow. Whether they won or lost, each of these women took a step closer to equality for women!

We are particularly proud to share with you the victories of some of Women’s Campaign Forum’s Endorsed Candidates who ran at the state and local level:

Carolyn Comitta (Mayor - West Chester, PA)
Stephanie Hausner (Town Council - Clarkstown, NY)
Jessica Lappin (New York City Council)
Stephanie Miner (Mayor - Syracuse, NY)
Stacey Newman (State House MO-73)
Kathleen Rice (Nassau County District Attorney, NY)

Also, Annise Parker won the majority of the votes in the race for Mayor of Houston, TX with 31% of the vote. She will face a runoff election against Gene Locke on December 12, 2009. If elected, Annise would make Houston the largest U.S. city with an openly gay mayor. We’ll keep you posted on her race!

Thank you to all these brave women leaders for taking the step to run for public office. With their example, they will allow many others to follow in their footsteps and have helped level the playing field for future generations.

Yesterday was election day for three of WCF’s endorsed candidates - Judy Chu, Carolyn Comitta, and Susan Passoni. Two of them are likely victories, and one lost by a small margin.

Judy Chu won the special election against Sen. Gil Cedillo for the open seat left by Hilda Solis in CA’s 32nd district. However, the majority of votes needed to avoid a runoff wasn’t met, so Dr. Chu will be on the ballot again July 14. Luckily, many consider this district to be a safely Democratic, so Chu is already being predicted the winner.

Carolyn Comitta won the mayoral primary in West Chester, PA. It’s being said that a Republican candidate stepping up for election in November would be unlikely, so Comitta’s path to Mayor is looking pretty clear.

Though she garnered 46% of the primary votes, Susan Passoni didn’t get a close enough margin for a recount with opponent Aaron Michlewitz for State Rep in MA’s Third Suffolk District. WCF is proud of Susan’s race and hope she will continue to run for public office. We know Susan’s community involvement and attention to improved education, stimulating the economy, better public transportation, protecting the environment, and equal rights will make her an excellent public leader.

As “political venture capitalists,” WCF is dedicated to supporting women as they enter and remain in the political arena. We believe that focusing on the woman at all stages of her career is necessary to ensure the growth of women in public life. So win or lose, we’re proud of all of our endorsed candidates for their commitment to their communities and desire to bring their skills to the table.

If you know a qualified woman who should consider running for public office, tell her: She Should Run!