Following Anita Hill’s testimony about sexual harassment during Clarence Thomas’ hearing as a Supreme Court nominee, a record number of women ran for political office.
It was called “The Year of the Woman.”
It may well pale in comparison to what is coming in 2018. “I think it’s an exciting time for women. It’s been spurred on by #me too, no doubt,” says Karlyn Bowman, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC, referring to a social media campaign the blossomed at the end of 2017 in which women detailed their experiences with sexual harassment. She says history teaches that when women run, they have as good a chance of winning as men.
Annie’s List, a left-leaning group that trains female candidates, is gearing up for the fight. After Donald Trump’s 2016 election, one thousand women went to their website expressing interest in becoming candidates. In the past year, the number has jumped to 26,000.
Texas will not be spared. Retirements announced by five male U.S. Congressman in Texas have brought out a slew of female candidates, who join the ranks of retired Air Force Colonel Kim Olson, candidate for Texas Ag Commissioner, and Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, candidate for Texas Governor. Bowman tells KTRH News, “one of things we know that’s really important is that women win just as often as men at every level of our politics. The issue is always getting more women to run.”
Whether they win, and the role they will play in the Democratic blue wave pundits prophesy, will play itself out in the year ahead. Left-leaning Emily’s list says immediately following the election of President Donald Trump in 2016 one thousand women signed up to explore becoming candidates. By the end of 2017, there were 26,000.