Few Ms. Smiths go to Washington

You’ve heard the slogan about a woman’s place being in the house — the U.S. House. The reality isn’t quite as upbeat. As David Broder noted in a Washington Post column, the current 67 women among the House’s 435 members still are far, far off the nation’s gender blend. And when researchers looked at every House race from 1956 through 2004 searching for where women won and why, of the “10,866 House elections during this period, they found only 13 female Democrats and eight Republican women who defeated incumbents,” Broder said. The study’s Web site, including a trivia quiz, notes that of the 204 women total elected to the U.S. House, 40 (19.6 percent) succeeded their husbands. And not surprisingly at all, Kansas’ 4th Congressional District does not fit the researchers’ profile of a district likely to elect a woman, whether she’s a Republican or Democrat. A quote by former Rep. Florence Dwyer, R-N.J., spoke to the challenge for any Ms. Smith who’d like to go to Washington: “A congresswoman must look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, speak on any given subject with authority and, most of all, work like a dog.” And — it should be updated to say — raise money like a Hammer.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

8 Comments

  1. Damoon
    Posted April 11, 2006 at 7:49 am | Permalink

    Give us time, we’ll get there. Major social change doesn’t happen overnight. Women have made amazing progress since the 60s and we will continue to do so.

  2. raptor
    Posted April 11, 2006 at 7:54 am | Permalink

    Is it possible their study missed the mark? In how many total elections was the incumbent defeated? This could possibly be an issue more of the power of incumbency than anything else.

    I used to hate the idea of term limits, but it becomes more appealing with every scandal, arrest, indictment and dishonest or sneaky act coming out of DC.

    Limiting incumbency would give many more people, yes, including women, a better chance of being elected.

  3. Darwin'sDisciple
    Posted April 11, 2006 at 8:11 am | Permalink

    Rhonda for Congress, anyone?

    I’d vote for her over Todd T.

  4. Ben Huie
    Posted April 11, 2006 at 8:14 am | Permalink

    Raptor makes an important point. It is virtually impossible for any outsider to get elected.

  5. Julie
    Posted April 11, 2006 at 8:58 am | Permalink

    why don’t we all write in KSFARMGRL for a write in vote next election?In earlier posts she’s stated that she wants to run.

  6. LeftHook
    Posted April 11, 2006 at 12:53 pm | Permalink

    Todd Tiahrt ran on “term limits, term limits, term limits.”

    That was 12 years ago, hehehehe.

    He also ran on “balancing the federal budget.”

    The hypocrisy of this man ought to be physically crippling . . .

  7. Damoon
    Posted April 11, 2006 at 7:56 pm | Permalink

    Great idea, Julie, I’d vote for her any day.

  8. orango
    Posted August 21, 2007 at 4:04 pm | Permalink

    Operator, please trace this call and tell me where I am.