If Maggie Hassan, a Democratic candidate for governor in New Hampshire, isn't elected, there will be zero Democratic women governors in the United States. Not one.
When I was fresh out of law school, I had a burning desire to do something important, to have an impact in some way, but I didn't know what it was. I certainly never thought I would run for office myself. If someone had suggested it, I would have laughed out loud.
But sometimes a door opens and you have to gather the courage to run through it.
I was approached by friends who encouraged me to run for an open seat -- attorney general of Michigan. It was a big risk.
My friends -- men affiliated with the Democratic Party -- encouraged me to take that risk.
As did my best friend and husband, who gave me the final gentle push across the threshold. Often we women are risk averse. I needed the push.
Now, more than ever, young women need more seasoned women to provide that encouragement, to take a risk, to go for it. Once a glass ceiling is broken, it stays broken.
The person who broke through cannot simply brush the shards of glass from her hair, kick out the ladder and say, "I got mine, now you go get yours." We have a duty to reach down through the broken glass ceiling and pull other women up.
But without those mentors, we not only end up with zero female Democratic governors, we end up with a war on women -- with men as the only soldiers in the battle. Women: we need you to represent on the battlefield.
So yes, there's risk in putting yourself out there. It's hard. But no worthy battle was ever easy.
Nancy Pelosi speaks about this prayer of an African bishop: "When I stand at last before the face of God, God will say to me, 'Show me your wounds.' And if I say, 'I have no wounds,' God will ask: 'Was there nothing worth fighting for?'"
My greatest wish for you -- women and men -- is that at the end of your life, you have many scars from wounds you received during battles that you waged on behalf of someone or something worth fighting for.
Cross-posted at "The War Room" blog. Jennifer Granholm is the former governor of Michigan and hosts Current TV's "The War Room" (weeknights 9/8c). Follow Jennifer Granholm on Facebook and Twitter and "The War Room" on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JenGranholm
Emily's List decided to mess with NH politics by endorsing Hassan over Cilley before the filing period even opened.
The late NH Governor Meldrim Thomson and the late publisher of the Manchester Union Leader initiated what is known as "the pledge" back in the 70's. It's taken by all gubernatorial candidates. It means: no state income tax, and no sales tax. NH currently has neither. NH also has the 11th worst infrastructure in the country, and ranks a firm 50th place in state spending on our university system.
NH is the wealthiest state, according to the WSJ. NH has over 27,000 millionaires.
Maggie Hassan took the Republican pledge 5 minutes after she announced her candidacy. This action means that she condemns the rest of us to a perpetuation of our outrageous property taxes.
Jackie Cilley won't take the pledge. She says taking pledges means not having to think for one's self.
Granholm had Hassan on her show, where Hassan said that we could fix everything by increasing the cigarette tax. There is no way to increase the cigarette tax enough to pay to repair our state's 300 red listed bridges.
It's time to put an end to the Republican pledge.
Petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/president-of-the-united-states-select-elizabeth-warren-to-give-dnc-convention-keynote-nc?share_id=wtDfQeCdiA&
Perhaps if you as governor had not laid waste to your own state and the brand of female Dem candidates, Hassan might have an easier time convincing voters to take a chance on her.