In this op-ed, Sue Myrick, a Republican and former member of Congress from North Carolina, collaborates with Lynn Woolsey, a Democrat and former member of Congress from California, to discuss what young women need to know before running for office. They are both members of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One, a nonprofit dedicated to government ethics and political reform.
Just this month, 14-term Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) told The Hill that being a woman may actually count against you if you want to serve as a leader in one of the most powerful institutions in government, the U.S. Congress.
Unfortunately, under our current political system, she is right. No woman in the Republican party has ever held the speaker's gavel, the most powerful position in the House of Representatives. And despite the record number of women of color elected to serve in the Senate last year, the country still has a long way to go to eliminate the barriers that keep young women from running.
We agree with the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington, who told The Hill that her party "needs to continue to work to recruit more women to run...and help them win races so they can serve in the House."
It is more important today than at any other time in recent memory that citizens are engaged with their elected leaders. That is why we, as a Democrat and a Republican who have faced four decades of public scrutiny, are here to pay it forward. We are here to guide you — not frighten you away. We continue to counsel young women who seek office, and as two former members of Congress, from the East and West coasts. Consider us proof that you can overcome the odds and serve your city, state, and country.
To understand the pursuit of elected office, you have to internalize one thing above all others — the least talked about issue that Hillary Clinton knew better than any other woman: If you’re not prepared to spend at least five hours a day raising money, soliciting people you do and don’t know, then elected office is not for you. It is the uncomfortable reality that steals precious hours out of your schedule and is time better spent with constituents, studying legislation, or building relationships with fellow lawmakers. Take your workday, cut it in half, and consider the following advice before running for office:
It is possible to win. Too often, we meet women who are interested in public service but talk themselves out of it or feel they need more experience. One of us was asked to step out of her first race for office — a nine-way primary — so that a male candidate who lived outside the district could win instead. She declined and went on to win her race, proving you do not need permission to run for office and you do not need to cede the race for the presumed better candidate.
It is still all about retail politics. Your office represents the people and families in your community, district, and state. Don’t depend on expensive TV ads, Twitter, and Facebook. They cannot replace old-fashioned handshakes and an open mind. Your election will be grounded in the people you meet, and your policies are molded from your combined experience. Put down your phone (when you’re not busy raising money) and authentically connect with as many constituents as you can.
Start local and remember your position is about the people. You have to do your homework, and that means focusing on local issues first. Join boards and commissions related to causes you are passionate about, build experience, and expand your network to include business leaders and activists. When time and funds are tight, you will be able to depend upon only a few family members and your closest friends. Early experience will show you how much you can handle on your own.
Prepare to raise money — a lot of it. Whether you’re a first-time candidate for office, an incumbent politician, or an outside group like Emily’s List or the Susan B. Anthony List, politics relies on money. You have to be comfortable asking for $100 or $1,000 or $2,700 at a time. Here’s a Washington open secret to ground you in reality: How well you can collect cash in Congress can determine what committees you serve on, your position in leadership, and whether your political party will help reelect you when the time comes. You’ll raise money in tucked-away cubicles, on the road, over terrible dinners, and even at baseball games. Collectively, the 114th Congress spent more than 1 million hours fund-raising, according to the political reform and government advocacy organization Issue One.
All issues are women’s issues. This is your race, and you will define it by the issues you care about, whether that is education, immigration, fiscal policy, or telecommunications. The options are limitless. Become an expert on the causes and cases that really matter to those you represent — not just abortion, health care, or equal pay — while running your race and educating yourself along the way.
But, know that you will stand out because you’re a woman. Regardless of whom your opponent is or the facts of the race, women are still subject to more scrutiny than men when they run for office. We’ve all been asked about our hair or what we are wearing, and we've even joked that we needed wives while in Congress because there was too much for one person to do after we took our work home! Prepare for that and remember that our strengths as women lie in collaboration, problem-solving, and getting things done.
Choosing when to run is as important as why. Despite the flashy television ads and attention-consuming public debates, running for office is not glamorous. You’ll eat soup and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner more often than not. It is important to realize there are good and bad times to run for office. If you’re raising a young child, before jumping into the ring, ensure you have a circle of family and friends who will support and help you.
When we served in office, Democrats and Republicans worked together. By the time we left, some would rarely get in the elevator with the opposite party. Nor would many sign on to legislation from the other party, even if they strongly agreed with it. By bonding with fellow lawmakers from both sides of the aisle around common issues, you will make our country better for the next generation. Local and national politics have to change, and new, young leaders deserve the chance to fix our broken system and decide the future of our country. This is why we are both part of Issue One’s ReFormers Caucus, a group of 181 former members of Congress, governors, and cabinet appointees who work on government ethics, campaign finance, and other political reform issues.
We call on you, once elected, to make people and their issues matter more than campaign donations or partisan party politics. Since fund-raising is a common bipartisan concern of current and former elected leaders, isn’t that the best place to start?
Related: Women Don't Run for Office for These Reasons
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