Sisters, where are you?
I’m talking to my fellow Republican women, political activists, concerned mothers, community leaders and school volunteers. We need you in the political arena. We need you.
Tuesday night I attended the Real Women Run Fall Forum up Millcreek canyon at Log Haven. Log Haven has been generously donating the venue and delicious food for this event for years. Real Women Run is a collaborative, nonpartisan organization organized by the YWCA of Utah that aims to empower women to become engaged in political life, to run as candidates and to seek appointment to boards and commissions.
The event on Tuesday night featured a panel of guests including Sen. Deidre Henderson, Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck and Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. KRCL RadioActive host Lara Jones moderated the panel. The discussion covered topics including political histories, experiences with impostor syndrome, building a team, fund raising and how to deal with personal attacks.
I didn’t recognize many from the Republican Party Tuesday evening. Real Women Run is a nonpartisan group – where were the Republicans? We need to attend events like this for the invaluable training and networking they provide.
During the panel discussion, Henderson shared her strategy of finding large numbers of volunteers for campaign buy-in. More people involved in a campaign translates into a more successful campaign. Henderson’s political story began as a volunteer for former Rep. Jason Chaffetz. Soon after he won his House seat she transitioned herself to a paying staff role.
She also shared that while most women are uncomfortable asking for money, they need to get over it and be bold. People expect candidates to ask for money. Women should ask for twice as much as they need and always ask for the maximum limit. Real women ask for money.
Scott Sommerdorf | The Salt Lake Tribune Candidate Deidre M. Henderson speaks at the Republican Special Convention for Utah Congressional District 3 to choose the candidate to replace Congressman Jason Chaffetz, held at Timpview High School, Saturday, June 17, 2017.
Chavez-Houck’s political story began as an activist in the Young Democrats of Utah. Her involvement in politics at an early age introduced her to party players, delegates and donors. Those are the people women should know when they’re ready to run for office. Her advice about raising money was to never underestimate what people can give.
Chavez-Houck also touched on the issue of personal attacks by admitting that one of her fears when she first ran related to her tendency to cry easily. I’m sure many women are worried about this. For Chavez-Houck, her colleagues know that she will likely cry at least once during a legislative session. And that’s OK. Real women cry.
Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune Rep. Karen Kwan D-Murray and Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck D-Salt Lake City talks in the House of Representatives as the 42nd day of the 62nd Legislature continues into the evening at the State Capitol in Salt Lake City Monday March 6, 2017.
Rivera shared her history of being in law enforcement for 24 years, watching and listening in the background, until finally she felt it was time to step up and break a glass ceiling. She is the first female sheriff for Salt Lake County. As a woman in a male-dominated field, she has had to learn to control her temper and ignore personal attacks. Everything she does is scrutinized – what she says, what she wears and even how she does her hair. The double standard that exists for female leaders is overwhelming, but real women deal with it.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Newly appointed Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera is congratulated following her swearing in ceremony at Salt Lake County Chambers on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. Rivera becomes the county's first female sheriff and the only woman overseeing a sheriff's office in Utah.
We need real women, and more Republican real women in Utah, because women need to hear women’s voices on important issues.
Issues like pedophilia.
There are now five women who have come forward to accuse Roy S. Moore of sexual abuse when they were young girls. Five is a pattern; there are likely more. Moore was a judge in Alabama until he resigned in 2017 after being suspended for continuing to enforce a state ban on same-sex marriage even after the ban was ruled unconstitutional. He is running for the U.S. Senate seat in Alabama that Jeff Sessions vacated after being appointed attorney general. Moore is the Republican nominee, in a very conservative state.
A man with credible accusations of sexual abuse by multiple women is not fit to run for office. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said recently, “I believe the women.” But it took too long to get to that conclusion. One accusation, from one woman, should be credible and disqualifying.
But there aren’t enough Republican women saying that. Rep. Mia Love issued a statement on Wednesday condemning the behavior, but we need to hear from more Republican women in Utah. The truth is, we just don’t have enough voices. The silence is deafening. Real women denounce pedophiles, even when it might mean that her political party loses a representative.
We need real women to step up and join the game. I’ll see you out there.
Michelle Quist is an editorial writer for The Salt Lake Tribune.
Follow @MichelleLQuist