Yes Virginia, Women can be Republicans Too.
By Chris | Thursday, October 15th, 2009 | Catch-AllI was thrilled to read Kathleen Parker’s article, “Time for the GOP Women,” in the Washington Post this week about the Republican Party’s need to reach out to and recruit more female candidates. Parker points out several of the emerging female voices in the GOP, such as candidates Meg Whitman and Carla Fiorina of California, blogger Meghan McCain and foreign policy expert Liz Cheney. Parker also observes that the deficit of Republican women in high offices is “both a taint on the GOP and a reflection of the broader assumption that Republicans are monolithically against women’s rights.”
Unfortunately, to the casual observer, a quick look at Virginia’s Republican Party might lead one to the same erroneous conclusion. Currently, Republican women in the Commonwealth are represented by only one State Senator (out of 19 Republicans), and four Delegates (out of 53 Republicans). Any way you slice it, those are dreadfully poor numbers and may help explain why the Virginia GOP has never fielded a female candidate for statewide office.
Simply put, we CAN and we MUST do better.
I consider myself fortunate to be acquainted with, and related to, so many strong and smart Republican women. Maybe that’s why I am convinced that our Party is capable of competing on a level playing field for women’s votes. To do so, however, we must not only talk about issues that matter to women, but we must also prove that women matter to our Party. One way of doing that is through recruitment of female candidates for office.
It appears as though our Party is at least beginning to get the message. This election cycle alone, in addition to the four female GOP Delegates seeking re-election, the Republican Party of Virginia has six other women seeking election to the House of Delegates. This is a good start, and hopefully in a couple of years Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel will also get some back-up in the Commonwealth’s Upper Chamber.
I look forward to the day that the Virginia Republican Party has a woman elected to statewide office, and I hope that day is sooner rather than later. Our Party simply cannot afford to have half of the population wondering why they don’t see anyone in our leadership ranks who looks like them.
P.S. – If you are looking for the calendar pictured above, you can go order it at the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute website. It comes highly recommended.
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About the author
Chris Obenshain has been involved in Republican politics literally since the womb, when he attended Virginia's famous 1978 Convention in utero. 30 years later he still can't get politics out of his bloodstream. He currently works as a lawyer in southwest Virginia and serves as Chairman of the Roanoke Area Young Republicans chapter. As Old Zach, he helped found the blog Sic Semper Tyrannis in 2004 and has been blogging off and on ever since. He has also proudly served in the United States Army Reserve since 2002.
Comments
9 Responses to "Yes Virginia, Women can be Republicans Too."
Well, I’m feel pretty certain that we can add Barbara Comstock to that list, and she will be a real leader for the part in the state.
Unlike many Republicans, I don’t neciessarily have a problem with playing some identity politics, but only when we don’t compromise our principles in doing it. But as much as I can be loath to say it, I think Parker is kind of right here. The best way to attract women voters and minority voters is to have women and minority candidates spreading our message.
Great, Chris. In 2003, we started the Jennifer Byler Institute (http://www.rpv.org/publications/page/the-jennifer-byler-institute)
through the Republican Party of Virginia–to recruit and train strong women to be leaders in our Party and to pursue elected office. I know a lot of those women are either in the planning stages for mounting campaigns, or thinking about it. We shouldn’t support women just because they are women, but we should encourage those who share the principles of the Republican Party, and who are courageous, effective communicators, to put themselves out there. We will attract more women to the conservative movement by having strong women in leadership positions. And if we’re going to win in the long run, we HAVE to attract more women.
I’ll be honest, in most of the unit committees and campaigns I’ve dealt with, the best volunteers and organizers are women – we just need to figure out a way to bridge that gap from volunteer to candidate. Things like JBI are a great start.
Chris – I’ve noticed the same thing regarding women volunteers…but also think our roster of talented elected officials is growing.
In Hampton Roads in recent history, we were blessed to have two female congresswomen (Jo Ann Davis and Thelma Drake). Del. Terrie Suit could have served as long as she wanted to in the House and Del. Brenda Pogge currently serves. Rosemary Wilson is going to be a serious competitor for Stolle’s Senate seat and Tricia Stall defeated Marty Williams in a primary in 2007.
I also know that on city council, school board, and in constitutional offices, there are several female officials who have been “endorsed” by the GOP and are building the “bench” for future runs.
It will take awhile to break this perception, but women are definitely participating in elected GOP politics.
“…the Virginia GOP has never fielded a female candidate for statewide office.”
Wrong – The GOP candidate for Lt. Gov. of Va. in 1989 was State Sen. Eddie Dalton, the wife of former Gov. John Dalton.
Foreign policy “expert” Liz Cheney!!!!! HA HA HA HA oh Gawd that is RIDICULOUS! You are kidding, right?
Terrie Suit is a disgrace to Virginia. Its a bold face lie to run for office and then resign early to be a lobbyist. People like that should be barred from ever doing work around the general assembly. She sets a horrible example for the state and it’s sad you used her as an example.
We do need more women, but conservative women. Parker is no conservative and the women she mentions are always “social liberals”. Missing from her article are any principled women who support the moral issues as well as the fiscal ones.
I like the photo better as it has many real conservatives, not just fiscal conservatives.
“Good Ole Boy.” Mix the letters anyway you want, they still won’t spell Woman or Minority. The only reason this is even an issue in Virginia is because of Deeds hitting on that stupid paper, and nationally because of McCain’s desperation. Once the election is over the RPV boys will be back to BIG business as usual and everyone else will be out in the rain, peeking through the smoke glazed windows of the Hillbilly Hideaway.
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