And, I mean that Literally.
I was starting to put together a review of the races for myself and was immediately struck by something that I already knew, but maybe had forgotten or not put enough thought into. Women stand a good chance of controlling most of North Carolina Democratic Politics this year. Go below the fold for a quick list of key women and the races they are running.
Originally posted at BlueNC.
Beverly Perdue – Governor (picture taken at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure)
We all know about Beverly Perdue, former House member, former Senate member, current Lieutenant Governor. Vying to be the first women leader of the State of North Carolina.
Beth A. Wood – Auditor
From her website, "Beth Wood is a long-time public servant with 15 years of auditing experience. Beth served in the State Auditor’s Office for more than a decade and previously served in the State Treasurer’s Office. She would be the first woman elected to the position of State Auditor in North Carolina."
Mary Fant Donnan – Commissioner of Labor
"Mary Fant Donnan is a program officer for the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Prior to joining the foundation, Donnan served as policy analyst and director of research and policy at the North Carolina Department of Labor."
Defeat the elevator lady, Cherie Berry. I’ve been meaning to harp on this harpy for some time. Do you know when a fiscal conservative is not a fiscal conservative? When she tears down inspection sheets on 24,056 elevators that have EIGHT lines for inspection certification and replaces them with sheets that have TWO lines and her photo.
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That means that those sheets have to be replaced FOUR-TIMES as often. That is fiscally irresponsible.
Elaine F. Marshall – Secretary of State
"Marshall was first elected to public office in 1992 as a member of the North Carolina Senate representing the 15th Senate District. She ran for the post of North Carolina Secretary of State against Republican challenger and former stock car racer Richard Petty, taking the office as the first female elected to statewide executive office in North Carolina in January 1997. Marshall was re-elected in 2000 and in 2004. She is expected to run for re-election again in 2008."
June St. Clair Atkinson – Superintendent of Public Instruction
"June St. Clair Atkinson was elected North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction on November 3, 2004, in a race that was decided by the North Carolina General Assembly on August 23, 2005. Dr. Atkinson is the first woman elected to the post of State Superintendent, and is also a member of the North Carolina Council of State. As State Superintendent, Dr. Atkinson heads the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, an agency which she served for nearly 28 years (1976-2004)"
Janet Cowell – Treasurer
"Janet Cowell (born July 19, 1968) is a Democratic member of the North Carolina Senate (representing Wake County) and a candidate for North Carolina State Treasurer in 2008. Cowell served two terms on the Raleigh City Council before being elected to the state Senate in 2004. Cowell is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), Penn's Wharton School of Business (MBA), and the Lauder Institute (Master's in International Studies)."
Verla Insko – NC House
Beyond her six terms in Raleigh, word on the street is that Rep. Insko is a key figure/supporter/ally of fellow Orange County Representative Joe Hackney, a.k.a. Speaker of the House. She remains the loudest voice for equal, quality health care in North Carolina.
At the state level, Democrats stand a great chance of holding all these offices and that means Democratic women stand a great chance of controlling the power of all these offices. Things are more limited at the national level, but we have two candidates with some shot at gaining power.
Kay Hagan – US Senate
"Kay R. Hagan is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's 27th Senate district, including constituents in Guilford County. She is the Democratic nominee for United States Senate against incumbent Elizabeth Dole, North Carolina's first female senator. An attorney, Hagan is currently (2007-2008 session) serving in her fifth term in the state Senate. Hagan was first elected to the State Senate in 1998.
Hagan's earliest political activity was as a child placing bumper stickers on cars for her uncle, Governor and U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles. Her father, Joe P. Ruthven, served as the mayor of Lakeland, Florida"
Teresa Sue Bratton– US Congress, District 6
"For 25 years Teresa served Piedmont families as a pediatric allergist. She retired from private practice in 2006 but continues to help local families through the allergy/asthma clinic for indigent children at Guilford Child Health. She also helps train the doctors of the future as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor for the Department of Pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine."
The future is bright for Democrats in North Carolina. It looks like it will be lead by a cabal of good old boys in the Senate, the temperate and liberal Joe Hackney in the House, and a lot of powerful women in the executive branch.