Women’s Campaign Fund credited for “brave” endorsement

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June 26, 2010

The Women’s Campaign Forum was brave enough to take the leap…will FDL be?

The Women’s Campaign Forum, a sizable DC organization promoting women in politics in a transpartisan way, endorsed their first Green candidate in Lynne Williams, a respected Maine attorney for environmental and other causes and former gubernatorial candidate running for State Senate.

Williams’ campaign for governor this year actually didn’t work out, because the Democrats and Republicans in the legislature – after Green Party success and membership was really growing – made making it onto the ballot and getting public campaign money much harder. So Williams strategically downsized, IMHO, to a more realistic State Senate seat. If she wins it, it will be the first Green in a State Senate in US history. The Greens are strong in Maine and a viable party in some parts of the state, so this win could be a likely scenario.

And so the Women’s Campaign Forum endorsed Lynne Williams’ run for State Senate. The reaction from the campaign posted on their website is this (emphasis added by me):

I am very pleased to have received the endorsement of the D.C. based Women’s Campaign Forum, for my State Senate race. The WCF is the oldest, national non-partisan political committee of its kind, and endorses only women who support reproductive health choices for all.

It provides technical assistance, financial support and great contacts. Hopefully I will be able to get a contribution to help pay off my gubernatorial debt and/or towards my seed money fundraising. However, the most exciting aspect of this endorsement is that fact that, to my knowledge, the WCF has never endorsed a Green Party candidate. In my interview with the WCF leadership, I emphasized how important it was that we establish a relationship between WCF and the fabulous woman who are running – and who will run in the future – as Green Party candidates. I truly believe that this is the start of just such a relationship.

So this organization is a decently sized – according to Open Secrets, they spent almost $200,000 in the 2008 election – one and it is not only a respectable endorsement, but they will promote Williams’ candidacy in numerous ways and give her “technical assitance, financial support, and great contacts.”

In terms of money, the organization has given several thousand dollars to some Senate and Congressional candidates so far this cycle. However, Open Secrets only reports on federal candidates, to my knowledge.

But that’s not even entirely relevant to the point. The point is that here’s an organization with principles of respecting women at its core, just as FireDogLake has principles like justice and progressivism guiding its journalism, activism, and community. And they were brave enough – because it does take political bravery to make that kind of commitment in today’s political environment – to endorse a credible Green candidate. Not only that, but they’re providing her with valuable resources.

This is exactly what FDL needs to do. If a few organizations like WCF and FDL lead the way, more will follow. It will both directly and indirectly benefit Greens (and other, more local progressive parties and independents).

So do we as a community, and does our leadership, have the bravery to do this?
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