Women and Politics

This post was submitted by Rebecca Freedholm, WCF Communications Fellow

Earlier this week, WCF President/CEO Siobhan “Sam” Bennett appeared on Fox News to offer her expertise on how voter dissatisfaction with the current administration will affect the 2010 midterm elections.

In a segment entitled “The Blame Game,” Steve Doocy claims that constituent’s discontentment with the economy and unemployment may lead voters to turn to the GOP during this midterm election cycle. According to Doocy, Republicans and Democrats are engaged in a “blame game,” each faulting the other for the current state of the economy.

While Doocy and David Winston, President of the Winston Group and advisor to the House Republican Conference, discussed how partisan politics will play out in the upcoming elections, Bennett suggested that frustrated voters may want to turn their attention elsewhere:

“Bottom Line—the voters are mad, and you’re absolutely right: it’s all about the economy, it’s all about jobs. And, again, we’re ranked 86th in the world in the number of women in elected office. Vote for a woman and you’ve got someone that voters trust and presents a fresh face to the electorate.”

The fact of the matter is that representation of Republicans and Democrats in Congress has been relatively balanced for a long time. If voters really want change, they should focus on getting more women candidates elected. Women currently hold only 17% of the seats in Congress, even though research shows that women’s unique leadership style has a positive influence on decision making.

People who are dissatisfied with the decisions coming out of Washington these days need to concentrate less on partisan politics in this election cycle and more on ushering in “a fresh face” to Congress. Women’s different perspectives and powerful modes of leadership may likely prove to be the key to improving our economy.

As Bennett asserts, “Women are unusually well-positioned in this election cycle.” Women candidates will, however, require voters’ help in getting elected to office in November. Join WCF in supporting strong women leaders during midterm elections so that they can enact important changes in Congress.

This post was submitted by Sophie Shulman, WCF Communications Fellow

Today, Kansas State Senator Jean Schodorf faces a tough primary for the Republican nomination for the 4th Congressional District. After months of dirty campaigning between most of the Republican candidates, an extreme anti-choice, anti-woman group has now inserted itself into the debate.

Common Sense Issues, a radical conservative group focused on limiting personal freedom—especially for women—produced radio and TV ads that attacked Schodorf and Hartman. The ads suggest violent threats toward the two politicians because they do not represent Common Sense Issues’ idea of what a Republican should be. Namely, Schodorf was criticized by the group for her commitment to women’s rights—and her refusal to sign a made-up petition that would ban public funding for abortion.

These ads, of course, completely ignore Schodorf’s many qualifications for public office. In her third term as State Senator, she has quickly become a leader in the Ways and Means Committee, fighting for the fiscal conservatism that is central to the Republican platform. In addition, she has earned the endorsement of the United States’ first elected female Senator, Nancy Kassebaum Baker. Kassebaum, a fellow Republican woman from Kansas, indicated that she chose to support Schodorf because:

“The ability to collaborate with members of Congress from both political parties has always been a key to successful and effective legislation… [Schodorf] has demonstrated strong leadership on intricate education and budget issues, particularly the ability to negotiate with all factions on an issue to solve real problems with real solutions.”

Kassebaum, an icon for female politicians, knows firsthand why we need more women in government. Specifically, Kansas needs more women: The state legislature is only 29.7% women, and only one of the state’s six federal offices is filled by a woman.

These statistics make it even more upsetting that special interests would use violence and anti-choice rhetoric to threaten a female candidate. Perhaps Common Sense Issues is concerned that a strong, conservative candidate would also choose to stand up for women’s rights in addition to Republican policy priorities.

Certainly, the voters seemed to have noticed that Schodorf is committed to the interests of the 4th district. In recent polls, Schodorf has been edging up on Pompeo. According to SurveyUSA:

“If Schodorf can motivate her base of more moderate, pro-choice Republicans to vote, Schodorf may ride her wave of momentum to victory when votes are counted.”

Schodorf is a competent leader with proven political experience—who is not afraid to stand up for women. Here at WCF, we’re hoping that voters will make their choice based on the candidate’s credentials, and not an advertisement aimed at taking away the rights of women.

This post was submitted by Sophie Shulman, WCF Communications Fellow

Krystal Ball, a candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 1st district, recently introduced an ad campaign targeting her opponent. The campaign, “On the Road with Rob,” follows Ball as she visits Congressman Rob Wittman’s offices and meets with constituents. More often than not, she finds his district office empty and that Virginians don’t relate to Wittman’s policies.

In response, the Wittman camp released the following statement:

“As cute as our opponent may think she is with a life size cut out of Rob…”

While Wittman’s spokesperson was ostensibly referring to Ball’s videos, and not her appearance, there was clearly an inference about Ball’s physical presence—which has already gained attention in the mainstream media. In essence, Wittman is relying on the stereotype that an attractive woman cannot be an effective leader—rather than addressing the substantive aspects of Ball’s criticisms.

Unfortunately, this behavior is far too common in the modern political world. Last week, a Colorado Senate candidate, Ken Buck, tried to argue that he deserved Coloradans votes over his female opponent:

“Because I do not wear high heels.”

This is not an acceptable reaction in a civilized political debate. The immediate decision for many male candidates when faced with an aggressive female candidate is to turn to a sexist and unfair attack in an attempt to discredit their opponent. If their rival was another man, they would be forced to respond to the actual criticisms—and be held accountable for their weaknesses as a candidate. Instead, female candidates are threatened based on their appearance, wardrobe, and personality, rather than their qualifications.

Indeed, this was also an issue in Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court. She was attacked time and again for her physical appearance and marital status, while her conservative opponents failed to acknowledge her outstanding legal credentials. It seems that Kagan’s inherent qualifications have overcome the sexist criticisms leveled at her, and I hope the same will be true for Ball, and all the other fantastic women running this year.

Krystal Ball, a certified public accountant, business owner, mother, and Virginia native, is committed to fiscal responsibility, building a secure nation for her children, and fighting for the interests of Virginia’s 1st district. These issues should be what this campaign is about—and not about Ball’s gender or appearance.

This post was submitted by Sophie Shulman, WCF Communications Fellow

In 2009, our political team at WCF identified Beth Krom, the former Mayor of Irvine, California, and current City Councilwoman, as a promising candidate for California’s 48th district. WCF endorsed her candidacy early on, and we’ve been helping her gain national attention ever since. This morning, we were thrilled to hear that Krom was named Democracy for America’s Grassroots All-Star.

Here at WCF, we’ve fought for Krom because she is committed to the advancement of women in leadership, and has proven to be a strong and capable representative of Irvine’s interests. During her tenure as Mayor, Irvine was named the “Safest City in America” four times, and also as one of the “Greenest Cities in America.” Running in a Republican area, Krom has won the past five elections in which she has participated, showing that she knows what it takes to run an effective campaign.

As a former teacher, business owner, volunteer, and mother, Krom’s political and life experience is well suited to address the complex needs of her constituents. While we’ve known all along that Krom has what it takes to be a great leader, this impressive victory shows that she has the grassroots support necessary to provide a tough challenge to the incumbent, John Campbell.

John Campbell is one of the most anti-woman candidates currently serving in Congress. In a recent blog post, he suggested eliminating family planning funding under Title X, and his votes speak for themselves: against equal pay for women and for employee discrimination.  Although Republicans have historically held this seat, Krom has what it takes to convince Orange County that she’s the right choice.

Krom has already convinced numerous organizations across the country that she’ll fight for what matters. In addition to WCF, she’s received endorsements from the American Federation of Teachers, Human Rights Campaign, National Organization for Women, Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, and National Women’s Political Caucus. And most recently, Krom convinced the over 66,000 voters in DFA’s Grassroots All-Star Competition that she has the most effective team on-the-ground to fight for progressive leadership in Congress.

DFA Chair, Jim Dean, shared his impressions of Krom’s campaign:

”She has 300 volunteers on the ground (many of them local DFA members) who are door knocking, phone banking, and helping get her message out to the district. She also has city leaders who support her and volunteer to coordinate community events. These leaders have helped ensure Beth reaches each and every community throughout the district.”

Krom’s ability to reach out to her community and her strong record in California are major reasons why WCF has supported her for so long. We’re glad to see that more national organizations are getting on board, and we’ll keep fighting for her until November—and beyond!

This post was submitted by Sophie Shulman, WCF Communications Fellow

Earlier this week, Politics Daily released its “The Next 10 Women to Watch in Politics” list, highlighting women—other than Sarah Palin—who are likely to gain national attention in the upcoming elections. WCF-Endorsed Candidate, Terri Sewell, made the list as she campaigns for the opportunity to be the first elected Congresswoman from Alabama.

But Sewell’s impressive leadership isn’t news to us. She’s been on WCF’S list since the early days of her campaign, and we’re thrilled that she’s looking so strong heading into today’s Democratic runoff. Running in the heavily Democratic 7th district, today’s victor will likely win the general election in November. And, according to Chris Cillizza at the Fix, Sewell is the favorite to win. Indeed, Sewell was the vote leader in June’s primary, winning 36.8% of the vote. She’s also raised over seven times the amount of her opponent, Sheila Smoot.

Since her victory in June, Sewell has been collecting endorsements across the country. The Birmingham News Editorial Board recently came out in support of Sewell, arguing that:

“Sewell has the potential to be a fine, history-making congresswoman.”

She has also received campaign contributions from illustrious donors such as U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, showing Sewell’s national appeal and her proven record on progressive issues. Very early in her candidacy, Sewell also earned a ringing endorsement from women’s rights icon Lilly Ledbetter, who gained national fame for promoting pay equity in the workplace:

“Just as I was honored to support President Barack Obama for his historic election, I am happy to support Terri Sewell in her historic race to be the first woman in Alabama elected to Congress. She is best candidate to fight for the rights of all. My regret is that I can not vote for her but I can encourage others.”

These amazing women have reached out on Sewell’s behalf because they know that she’s the kind of woman we need in Congress—one who’s willing to fight for women’s issues, as she’s done throughout her legal career and in her personal life. But Sewell has also received help from Alabama’s elected officials and the people of Alabama—because she was born and raised in Selma and has shown her deep connection to her future constituents.

Here at WCF, we’re also extremely proud of Terri Sewell, and excited for her to shatter the next glass ceiling and become Alabama’s first elected Congresswoman. For months we’ve been working to help Sewell reach this point—and now’s the time for us to reach out, support Sewell, and support women everywhere.

This post was submitted by Sophie Shulman, WCF Communications Fellow

In a recent attack ad, Carly Fiorina accused Senator Barbara Boxer of being an ineffectual representative, with her name on only three bills in the past 18 years. This prompted Rod Pennington to conclude that virtually all female Senators are essentially:

“Empty pants suits keeping chairs warm and taking orders from their male party leadership.”

I’m trying to figure out which Senate Rod Pennington and Carly Fiorina are watching. In the U.S. Senate, Barbara Boxer is the first female Chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and simultaneously, Chair of the Select Committee on Ethics, making her the only Senator in charge of two committees at the same time. Also, a quick online search reveals that, in the current Congress alone, Boxer’s name is on over 500 pieces of legislation, including an international effort to combat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and an important taxpayer protection amendment to the Wall Street Reform bill.

Despite Pennington’s claim that women take their direction from male power-brokers in the Senate, he seems to have forgotten that, in addition to Boxer, who serves as Chief Deputy Whip, Sens. Patty Murray, Blanche Lincoln and Debbie Stabenow all hold leadership positions. In fact, the 4-to-10 ratio among the majority leadership is actually much higher than the actual percentage of women in the Senate (17%)—showing that these women are excelling in their political careers.

The recent health care reform debate also made it clear why we need women in Congress. Senator Barbara Mikulski, a leading member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, played a key role in ensuring that women received equal treatment in insurance plans.

The Supreme Court’s rejection of Ledbetter shows why having women in Congress—and on the Court—is essential to promoting women’s equality. After Justice Ginsburg’s inspirational dissent, Congress quickly stepped up to remedy our unfair pay systems. Boxer was one of the first to co-sponsor the bill, and was soon followed by Sens. Debbie Stabenow, Olympia Snowe, Patty Murray, Barbara Mikulski, Claire McCaskill, Amy Klobuchar, Dianne Feinstein, Hillary Clinton and Maria Cantwell. Although the final bill was not passed until 2009, it seems unlikely that we would have the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act today without the support of these influential women.

Last year, Sen. Boxer was named the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Women’s Issues. This is the first subcommittee to ever focus specifically on women’s issues, and I’m certain that Boxer’s many years of service on the Foreign Relations Committee were instrumental in its creation. In response to her appointment, she eloquently stated that:

“Too often, we turn our eyes away as women are persecuted, abused and treated as second-class citizens. But even the most conservative historians have noted that when women are given the freedom to live up to their full potential, society as a whole flourishes. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Congress and with Secretary Clinton to stamp out violence against women in the world.”

This is an observation that many men would never make. Just as it took Justice Ginsburg to point out that our pay systems were unequal, often we need women to be part of the conversation to show what men choose not to see. In his article, Pennington poses the question:

“Could it be political correctness and the desire to have a woman, any woman, in a high office is to blame?”

The women that I’ve come to respect and admire in the U.S. Senate have fought for women’s rights, equal opportunity, and justice for all. I’m very proud to have these 17 women in the U.S. Senate, and hope the rest of America doesn’t share Pennington’s ridiculous and archaic assertions.

This post was submitted by Sophie Shulman, WCF Communications Fellow

Terri Sewell, WCF-Endorsed Candidate for Alabama’s 7th District, just announced new fundraising numbers that show her with a steady lead over her opponent Shelia Smoot. The numbers suggest that in May and June, Sewell raised at least $250,000 more than Smoot—confirming our opinion that Sewell is the strongest candidate to represent Alabama.

Indeed, Sewell’s story is one that reflects her deep roots in the district— growing up in Selma, Alabama, she is the daughter of a high school basketball coach and librarian. Although Sewell’s talents gave her the opportunity to attend some of the most prestigious universities in the world, she ultimately chose to return home to share her talents with the people of Alabama. As she says herself:

“I have exactly the skill set in Washington that this District needs, and the passion and desire to make sure that other have the same opportunities that I had.”

Sewell’s candidacy is so exciting because she also applies that same passion and desire to women’s rights. Her record as an Attorney shows that she is genuinely interested in the well-being and girls and women—she has worked to prevent domestic violence and has mentored young girls of color from disadvantaged backgrounds. Sewell also recognizes the importance of having women in leadership positions:

“I know that when women are at the table, issues of families and children really get decided and discussed… Just watching the health care debate, and the fact that the Stupak amendment got defeated is a very good example of how having effective women legislators in Congress makes a difference.”

And in Alabama, electing a woman to office is especially significant. Alabama is ranked 48th in the nation for the number of women in public office, and if elected, Sewell would be the first woman ever elected to Congress from the state. Shelia Smoot, Sewell’s opponent in the Democratic runoff, is also a talented African American woman who supports women’s rights, and its reassuring to know that, either way, Alabama voters are likely to make history this November. However, Sewell has proven throughout her campaign—and professional career—that she has the knowledge, skills, and courage to stand up for her constituents and her ideals.

Let’s wish Sewell the best of luck in her runoff on Tuesday, July 13, and celebrate the shattering of another glass ceiling in Alabama!