By: Darcy Scott Martin

In the dismal returns of the midterm elections, we may feel that we have to search for silver linings. Only one of WAND’s endorsed new candidates won a seat in the 108th Congress, Denise Majette. And while we revel in the win for Congresswoman-elect Majette of Atlanta, we also mourn the defeat of a staunch supporter, Congresswoman Connie Morella, and the death of Congresswoman Patsy Mink, although her name remained on the Hawaii ballot and won.

There is clear evidence that WAND’s mission and objectives remain vital. All but one of our incumbents on the ballots on November 5 came through. Twenty-six of our WAND/WiLL members of the 107th Congress voted against the war resolution, despite the pending elections.

We also have to turn away from the national lens to see what is really happening in this election. Women won seats by droves in the state houses. More than 1700 women will serve in state legislatures in 2003. The WiLL model of bringing women state legislators together from coast to coast continues to thrive. Women continue to take on the challenge of elected office, one step at a time. Because of the vitality of these legislators, we will have more women to endorse in the next congressional cycle and the one after that. Maybe one of these women will be a candidate for president some day, and WiLL and WAND will be backing her.

So take what seems to be a drubbing, and think about the solution to the problem: increasing the number of women candidates. WAND has access to trainings and seminars on running for office and would be happy to talk to women who are considering the challenge. Is there someone in your WAND chapter who seems she might be a good legislator? How about someone active in your community or on your school board? How about you?

Winning Incumbents:

US Rep. Shelley Berkley (NV-01)
US Rep. Lois Capps (CA-23)
US Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53)
US Rep. Diana DeGette (CO-01)
US Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-14)
US Rep. Darlene Hooley (OR-05)
US Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30)
US Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (MI-13)
US Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-09)
US Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-16)
US Rep. Nita Lowey (NY-18)
US Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04)
US Rep. Karen McCarthy (MO-05)
US Rep. Grace Napolitano (CA-38)
US Rep. Nancy Pelosi (CA-08)
US Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34)
US Rep. Janice Schakowsky (IL-09)
US Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-28)
US Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-18)
US Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35)
US Rep. Diane Watson (CA-33)
US Rep. Lynn Woolsey (CA-06)

Congresswoman Majette Goes to Washington

Congratulations to WAND endorsee Denise Majette on her successful run for Georgia’s fourth congressional district.

Majette served on the State Court of DeKalb County since her appointment by then Gov. Zell Miller in 1993, retaining the position through two judicial election cycles. Previously she served as an administrative law judge for the Atlanta office of the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society, and a law professor at Wake Forest University.

A graduate of Yale University and Duke University School of Law, Majette will now be serving her constituents from urban Atlanta in the U.S. House of Representatives. Majette met with WAND this fall to discuss ways to work together in the 108th Congress.