November 7 could be the perfect storm, cleaning House and returning
Democrats to power. When the dust settles, women candidates should be proud
for having led the way to victory. And for that, America should be grateful.
More than two-thirds the total number of women serving in Congress are
Democrats - 45 in total. Twenty-one of our Red to Blue candidates are women.
More than 1,500 Democratic women are running in state legislative races, and
in the 36 gubernatorial bids, 10 women are running - half of them are
Democrats. While the sheer number of women in office may not break the
record set in 1992, the "Year of the Women," the policy implications may be
even greater. Women are agents of change, seeking accountability, defending
what is right and good, and getting to "yes" - elements missing in today's
Republican controlled Congress.
I know first hand the difference women make in Congress. As Chair of the
Democratic Women's Working Group, I have had the opportunity to lead and
learn from this wonderful group of women. We have worked together to defend
the rights of women in the workplace and the rights of girls to have equal
educational opportunities. We have built bridges with women in a wide
variety of professions and showed America's girls that there is hope for
them to break through existing glass ceilings. We have fought for pay equity
and against assault in the military. We have united to end domestic violence
both at home and abroad. We have worked to make our communities safer from
domestic and foreign threats.
That is why I have worked hard as a mentor and fundraiser for women running
for office. As a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's
Recruitment Team I have traveled across the country, recruiting candidates
and raising more than $1 million to bring a new Democratic direction to our
country. I have personally campaigned for more than one dozen candidates,
including Diane Farrell, Patricia Madrid, Gabrielle Giffords, Jill Derby,
and Angie Paccione. I have felt the fervor for change and have seen first
hand the difference these women are making. They deserve a chance to help
put America on the right path to a new direction.
On Election Day, voters should support and reward the brave women who have
run for local, state and federal office. For when women run and women vote,
women win and our nation will be better off.