The 11 women in the Missouri Senate have write a new book called “You Can, Too!” promote literacy across the state and encourage more young people to be civically engaged.
It wasn’t until 1972 that a woman was first elected to the Missouri Senate, and in the state’s 200-year history, when there have been more than a thousand men who served, only 36 women served.
Senator Jill Schupp, D-St. Louis, said it was important to make sure young people knew they could run for office, but more importantly, she urged them not to let obstacles get in the way of achieving their dreams, no matter what. ‘they are.
“At the end of the book we have what is supposed to be a mirror,” Schupp explained. “It’s not perfect, but because we want, we want kids reading this book to look at it and see themselves reflected in these stories and on this page.”
Schupp noted that one of the main purposes of the book is to encourage literacy and that it is intended for a reading level of around a fourth grade level, when children begin to read to learn, rather than to learn to read. She added that they donate copies of the book to libraries, pediatricians’ offices and dental offices, and other places where children can pick it up and start reading.
Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder, R-Bollinger, said kids shouldn’t let obstacles get in the way of them achieving their goals. She said she dropped out of school at 15 to care for her family, had her first child at 16, and eventually got her GED and a college degree.
“I never thought I would be in the Missouri Senate,” Rehder remarked. “I love it when I go out and talk to the kids in my district, it’s always been an eye opener to see how encouraging knowing them is.”
Rehder also pointed out surveys showing that women legislators are more likely to say they decided to run for office because they were recruited, rather than deciding for themselves. And women are also more likely to be discouraged from running for office. Rehder noted during his first candidacy that the party leadership told him that “it was not his time”.
“And so we hope that by reading so many inspiring stories from women, it will help girls realize that they don’t need to ask permission,” Rehder pointed out. “They have to follow their instincts and believe in themselves whether or not someone else does at the time.”
Support for this report was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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Texans from both political parties head to the polls today for the first primary election of the year.
In a closely watched congressional race in South Texas, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, takes on progressive challenger Jessica Cisneros, his former intern who came within 3,000 votes of an upset victory in 2020.
Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics, said that for many candidates, an election loss is just the start of a political career.
“The importance of women not losing and giving up the first time, that perseverance is important,” Dittmar explained. “It’s one of the intrigues of this race that matters.”
Cuellar’s home was raided by the FBI in January as part of an investigation related to the former Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan. Cuellar maintained his innocence.
In recent years, Dittmar said at least half of Texas’ 36 congressional races had a woman on the ballot representing a variety of cultures.
“The intersections in terms of diversity that we see developing among women in Congress,” Dittmar observed. “We’re seeing younger women being elected to Congress. It’s important for the generational perspective, and we’re also seeing more racial and ethnic diversity among these women.”
After two election cycles in which registration numbers of women have run and won congressional office, Dittmar pointed out that the 2022 election presents barriers for incumbent women in the U.S. House due to congressional redistribution and redistricting
She pointed out that if some don’t win this time around, there’s an incentive to try again.
“There are your voter networks, there are your volunteer networks and there is your donor network,” Dittmar pointed out. “At all of these levels, you come in with an advantage often the second time or the third time around.”
Historically, primary voter turnout in Texas is low. Last year, Republicans in the state passed changes to voting rules, causing many ballots to be thrown out ahead of the primary.
Support for this report was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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Last week, the Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill which would strip university and college administrators of qualified legal immunity where they “violate certain individual rights of expression”.
The legislation responds to alleged discrimination against conservative students and lecturers on college campuses.
Representative Clint Moses, R-Menomonie, one of the measure’s main sponsors, argued that campuses should be an open marketplace of ideas.
“As a legislator with a college campus in my district, as well as two other nearby UW schools, I have heard too well from students attending these UW campuses that they are afraid to share their thoughts openly on campus,” said Moses.
In written comments, a spokesperson for the University of Wisconsin system said that while UW officials support free speech, removing immunity from university administrators could lead to “frivolous lawsuits or lawsuits of dubious merit”. They also say that as a public university, providing legal defense in such a case would be at taxpayer expense.
The measure is the latest in a long line of Republican-drafted bills that have sought to impose penalties for free speech violations on college campuses.
Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, argued during a committee hearing on the bill that it would limit the ability of universities to intervene in cases where speakers or students express beliefs that could incite violence against marginalized communities.
“How does this bill not end up giving an undeserved platform to white supremacists, neo-Nazis and fascism? Larson asked.
The bill was forwarded to the Senate for further deliberation and consideration. As a partisan bill with exclusively Republican sponsors, it faces a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.
Support for this report was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
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This weekend, progressive groups will come together for the 8th edition Progressive Summit, which will be held online. the main speaker will be Kris Brown with the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence.
Will Pregman, director of communications for the Battle Born Progress group, which hosts the event, noted that while Nevada has already passed universal background checks, there is still a long way to go.
“We’re still hoping to fix the preemption issue,” Pregman said. “Basically Nevada law that counties or local cities do not have the ability to pass their own gun laws that supersede what is passed by the state legislature.”
The convention brings together policymakers and community organizers to brainstorm and gather strength ahead of the primary in June, the midterm elections this fall, and the legislative session in 2023. The two-day event costs $15 to attend.
Pregman added that the sessions will also touch on clean energy, the decision to establish a national monument to Avi Kwa Ame and the fight to keep voting accessible and convenient.
“Anything that we think would get in the way of voting or create arbitrary hurdles for voters to jump through is something we would likely oppose,” Pregman said.
Other guest speakers include Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., Lt. Governor Lisa Cano Burkhead, and journalist John L. Smith , who participate in a chat on the role of the press in the fight against misinformation.
Disclosure: Battle Born Progress – Institute for a Progressive Nevada contributes to our fund for reporting on civic engagement, the environment, gun violence prevention, and health issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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