The presidential election is over, and, no matter how you voted—and I hope that you DID vote—one thing is for sure. This was a great election for women, and it is a cause to celebrate.
Women voted in record numbers to express their opinions about reproductive rights, women’s health care, and pay equity, to name just a few. Women also voted to take a stand on the economy—which the candidates seemed to agree IS a woman’s issue. Women now earn 45% of the total income in two-earner households. Twenty-six per cent of women earn more than their male partner or spouse. Women’s incomes are very important to their families, especially in these challenging economic times—-BUT, I do not have to tell that to most of you.
Let’s review the record. Going into the election, there were 17 female U.S. senators, which had also been a record number. Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) are both retiring, so the numbers for women in the Senate were threatened by attrition alone. Women were worried, and they got active because THAT IS WHAT WOMEN DO!
Today, after Tuesday’s election, there will be 20 female senators, the most ever in U.S. history, in the 113th Congress. Joining the Senate will be Republican Deb Fischer (Nebraska) and Democrats Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin), Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts).
All six Democratic women up for reelection — Senators Maria Cantwell (Washington), Dianne Feinstein (California), Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota), Claire McCaskill (Missouri) and Debbie Stabenow (Michigan) — won their races.
Rep. Shelley Berkley lost her Senate race in Nevada, and five Republican female candidates lost on Tuesday—most of them to other women. Wendy Long lost to Gillibrand in NY, Elizabeth Emken lost to Feinstein in California, and Linda Lingle lost to Hirono in Hawaii. Linda McMahon in Connecticut and Heather Wilson in New Mexico both lost to male contenders.
So, no matter what side of the political aisle you favor, it was a very good day for women. Other significant election developments include that ALL top elected officials in New Hampshire now will be women and that senate candidates Richard Murdock of Indiana and Todd Aiken of Missouri, neither of whom lives in the real world when it comes to what comprises rape and its horrendous impact on the victim—usually a woman, were rejected by the electorate. That alone should make us smile, whoop or take a much needed vacation.
It is a good day— Morning in America again, really. Some of you will remember the artsy campaign ad “Morning in America Again” from the Reagan-Bush 1984 presidential campaign. That is how I feel today. Women in this country are still faced with tremendous societal hurdles and equity issues, but, from where I sit, things look a little better today.
But we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to keep fighting for the issues that mean a lot to us as women. We need to continue to support our fellow women and reach out to the ones who need us.
Take advantage of the momentum that is ours today. We need you, and you can make a difference. We learned that on Tuesday.
Bravo to all of the fantastic women in my life. YOU definitely make a difference to me!
