Senate Dems Launch 16% and Rising
By Mike Connery on 09/21/2010 @ 10:05 AM
Women currently make up only 16% of the New York State Senate—that’s only 10 out of 62. The only states with legislatures more heavily dominated by men? Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
This year, that could all change. Twelve of the Democrats challenging Republicans for their State Senate seats are women. In fact, over half of this year’s Democratic candidates running for State Senate are women. That’s the most female candidates we’ve had in a single election - ever - and they represent a tremendous opportunity to remake the New York State Senate.
If they all won, they would join our 10 sitting female Senators (8 Democratic and 2 Republican) to make the State Senate more than a third female. Research suggests that when women reach critical mass in a group, the whole group dynamic changes. There’s more collaboration. There’s more listening. There’s a new approach to problem solving. Wouldn’t it be remarkable if we could change the whole dynamic of Albany by electing these 12 women?
To support these women and their candidacies, today the New York Senate Dems launched 16% and Rising - a blog of, for and by the women running to remake the state senate. This blog will be a place to learn about these exciting female candidates and to find out how you can help them change Albany. It will also highlight the great work of our 8 sitting female Democratic Senators and the rest of the Democratic Majority, who won some important victories for New York’s women this year.
These candidates have a record of standing up to politicians more interested in helping out their friends than helping out their communities. They are women like Susan Savage, Joanne Yepsen, and Pam Mackesey, who have fought to make county government functional. They are women like Kathleen Joy and Cynthia Appleton, known for being fierce advocates for the towns and cities they serve. They are women like Robin Wilt and Didi Barrett, who have run successful businesses and not-for-profits. They are women who know how to get things done.
We hope that you will join us in raising the number of women in the State Senate. 16% is only a starting point—let’s raise it to 35% this year!
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