Women and Politics

This post was submitted by Jean Qiao, WCF Communications Fellow

WCF applauds Rep. Julie Hamos and Cheryle Jackson for two well-run campaigns. Thank you for taking the brave step of running for federal office and setting an example to women all around the country.

In a hard-fought race for the slot as the Democratic candidate for Congress in Illinois’ 10th congressional district, Julie Hamos was defeated by a mere 500 votes, with 99% of all precincts reporting. We hope that Hamos will continue to run for public office, as we desperately need experienced women who are dedicated to protecting women’s reproductive freedoms.

In spite of extreme media scrutiny, Cheryle Jackson ran a strong campaign for U.S. Senate. As a personal victim of the current lackluster health care system, Jackson serves as a fresh voice to U.S. politics. In her concession speech last night, Jackson said:

“Tonight we are here for a different kind of victory. Maybe not the victory we wanted but I view tonight as still a victory. I jumped into this race to give a voice to everyday people. People who are often overlooked by government”.

Women win and lose elections at the same rate of men. However, 50% less women even consider running, with only a fraction making the decision to become a candidate or run for higher office.

Research shows that women must be asked to run at least six times before they seriously consider running for public office. With only 17% of Congress being women, we must ensure that more women all across the country are running for office.

We only lose when women don’t run. Ask a woman you know today to run for office!

We are very proud of our endorsed candidates for their desire to bring about change, and strongly encourage them to run again, and for higher office, in the future.

Tags: Candidates, Cheryle Jackson, endorsed candidates, healthcare, Illinois, Julie Hamos, Women and Politics