Meet
the candidates: 2002*
 |
WAND
PAC is a political action committee of WAND members.
|
Meet
the 2002 WAND Endorsed Candidates!*
Former
State Senator Chellie Pingree
Senate--Maine
Challenging Incumbent Susan Collins
A longtime WiLL member, Former State Senator Chellie
Pingree is offering Maine voters a progressive choice
in the United States Senate.
First elected to the Maine Senate in 1992, Pingree
quickly rose through the leadership ranks, becoming
the second woman in Maine's history to hold the post
of Senate Majority Leader. During the course of her
legislative service, she fought for economic and social
justice and for accountable government practices.
Pingree led the effort to pass the nation's first
bill lowering the prices that uninsured citizens pay
for prescription drugs.
Pingree will bring to Congress a prioritization of
human needs. Her top three issues - health, economic
solvency, and education - demonstrate her commitment
to improving the well being of our communities. Pingree
understands the meaning of real security and the importance
of putting federal dollars where they are most needed.
In October 2001, Pingree participated in the "Road
to Nuclear Abolition" seminar. She has also worked
with several of Maine's largest industries on issues
of defense conversion.
Pingree's progressive record distinguishes her from
her opponent, incumbent Susan Collins. Though Senator
Collins presents herself as a moderate, her votes
on the Senate Armed Services Committee align her with
conservative Republicans.
Because she understands our communities' real needs,
Women's Actions for New Directions enthusiastically
supports Chellie Pingree.
For more information about Pingree's campaign, visit:
www.pingreeforsenate.com
State
Representative Annie Betancourt
Florida-25
Challenging Incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart
Primary: September 10, 2002
State Representative Annie Betancourt was first elected
to the Florida legislature in 1994, and has loyally
served her constituents in Miami since. Betancourt's
commitment to legislative service earned her the Florida
Women's Political Caucus' Outstanding First-Term Legislator
Award in 1996.
Betancourt will have a tough Democratic primary on
September 10, when she faces former-Republican news
anchor, Lorna Virgili. The winner of the primary will
face right-wing Republican Mario Diaz-Balart in November.
Betancourt's campaign is strong - not only has she
raised considerable amounts of money in the past few
weeks, but she has recently earned the endorsements
of several labor organizations and the Women's Campaign
Fund.
Because Betancourt is a progressive candidate with
a record of legislative accomplishments, WAND heartily
endorses her campaign for Congress!
For more information about Betancourt's campaign,
visit: www.anniebetancourt.com
Melina
Fox
Indiana-06
Challenging Incumbent Mike Pence
Mel Fox is well-known in this rural Indiana district
as a farmer, business owner and community activist.
Because of her deep roots in Eastern Indiana and her
knowledge of the issues, Fox is well positioned to
make this race against conservative incumbent Mike
Pence a competitive one.
Fox's strong candidacy proves that Mike Pence is too
conservative for this district. One of his first actions
in Congress was to sponsor a bill for tax cuts that
went far beyond the scheme proposed by President Bush.
His votes to privatize Social Security and his support
for pharmaceutical companies in the debate to lower
the costs of prescription drugs make Pence vulnerable.
Unlike Pence, Mel Fox is a dedicated supporter of
a woman's right to choose and is an arms control advocate.
With the help of labor, women's groups, and peace
organizations, Fox can win this race.
For more information about Fox's campaign, please
visit: WWW.FOXFORCONGRESS.COM
State
Representative Martha Fuller Clark
New Hampshire-01
Open seat
As a six-term legislator, WiLL member, community activist,
author, historian and educator, Martha Fuller Clark
has been making a difference for the people of New
Hampshire for over twenty years. Clark is running
for U.S. Congress because she believes that New Hampshire
and the 1st Congressional District deserve better
leadership and representation in Washington. Clark's
dedication to her community and her boundless energy
have earned her the overwhelming support of her constituents
and the respect of her peers on both sides of the
aisle.
In 2000, Clark ran for Congress against incumbent
Rep. John E. Sununu, touting her signature issues
of healthcare reform, improving public education,
protecting the environment and defending a woman's
right to choose. She held Sununu to only 53% of the
vote and surprised party leaders and political pundits
across the country with her aggressive and spirited
campaign. Clark's hard work in 2000 has established
her as one of the state's most prominent and promising
Democrats.
Now that Sununu has abandoned his congressional seat
in a bid for the U.S. Senate, Clark will benefit from
her high name recognition and the divisive and expensive
primary that her Republican opponent will have to
survive. Clark's political savvy and progressive agenda,
including her strong voice for arms control, will
surely set her apart from her opponent.
Clark is well-positioned to win this New Hampshire
race - and WAND is proud to support her campaign!
For more information about Martha Fuller Clark's campaign,
visit: WWW.CLARKFORCONGRESS.COM
Anne
Hutchinson
Iowa-01
Iowa has a number of strong candidates who might win
seats from incumbents, but Ann Hutchinson is considered
the strongest woman in the state. Ann, mayor of Bettendorf,
is running to unseat Republican Jim Nussle, a powerful
six-term Congressman who chairs the House Budget Committee.
Nussle is the kind of conservative George W. Bush
wants in Congress-anti-choice and pro-gun, he voted
against funding 100,000 new teachers to improve America's
failing schools.
WAND is proud to support Hutchinson in her race to
become the first woman ever elected to Congress from
Iowa!!
State
Senator Donzella James
Georgia-13
Open seat
Primary: August 20, 2002
WiLL member Senator Donzella Johnson James was elected
to the state senate from the Atlanta area's 35th District
in 1994, and is now concluding her fourth term. As
a state senator, she has been a tireless advocate
for the elderly, the disadvantaged, children, and
working people. With the same enthusiasm that she
has demonstrated as a state senator, James is now
running for Congress.
The race for the newly created congressional district
has drawn three other candidates - all male: State
Senators Greg Hecht and David Scott and former Georgia
Democratic Party Chairman David Worley. Each of these
three career politicians took an active role in designing
this new district, hoping to advantage their own races.
Only James stands as a fresh voice and non-career
politician in this race. In this election, she is
facing the full strength of the old boy network.
WAND agrees that James is the "right choice" in this
election, or, as she says, "the right woman, the right
place, the right time."
For more information about Donzella James' campaign,
please visit: WWW.DONZELLAFORCONGRESS.COM
Former
U.S. Representative Jill Long Thompson
Indiana-02
Open seat
In 1989, Jill Long Thompson won a special election
to fill the seat left vacant by Dan Quayle in Indiana's
4th District. She served three terms in Congress before
being defeated in the 1994 Republican tidal wave.
In 1995, President Clinton appointed her Under Secretary
of Agriculture for Rural Development, which she served
until 2001. Long Thompson's strong background in agriculture
appeals to Republicans in the newly drawn 2nd District
in Indiana, while traditional Democratic voters in
the district know and like her record on education
and healthcare.
Long Thompson scored her first victory when she won
the heavily contested Democratic Primary on May 7th.
She will face Republican Chris Chocola, a wealthy
businessman who was uncontested in the GOP primary,
in November. Long Thompson was a strong voice for
sensible military spending when she served in Congress
and was an outspoken opponent against Star Wars and
other Cold War weapon systems. Unlike her opponent--who
has stated his commitment to "full deployment of a
global missile defense system as soon as possible"--Long
Thompson is a voice for arms control.
WAND is glad to support Jill Long Thompson in 2002!
For more information about Jill Long Thompson's campaign,
visit: www.JILLLONGTHOMPSON.com
Marjorie
Musser Mikels
California-26
Challenging Incumbent David Dreier
Marjorie Musser Mikels believes in WAND's mission.
She is a strong opponent of increased military spending
and is a firm advocate for women's issues. While her
opponent David Dreier has been in Washington for twenty-two
years, Mikels has practiced law-defending the rights
and liberties of citizens and grass roots organizations.
She received excellent mentoring as the first woman
attorney hired by each of two well-established local
firms; then in 1988, she founded her own law firm,
Mikels & Associates, where she continues to practice.
Mikel's community activism extends beyond the boundaries
of her law career. For example, she was instrumental
in defeating the nuclear industry's attempts to site
a radioactive dump at Ward Valley, which is within
the borders of her county.
When elected to Congress, Mikels will be a strong
advocate for all of WAND's issues. WAND would be proud
to work with Mikels in Congress, and so supports her
candidacy.
For more information about Marjorie Musser Mikels'
campaign, visit: WWW.MARJORIEMIKELS.COM
Carol
Roberts
Florida-22
Challenging Incumbent Clay Shaw
In 2000, Carol Roberts appeared in the national spotlight
as a member of the Palm Beach County Canvassing Board,
where she led the effort to get every vote counted
and ensure fairness for the Gore-Lieberman ticket.
In her years of public service, Roberts has tackled
the tough issues that face Florida: controlled growth,
health care, a clean environment and public transportation.
She has served on state committees dedicated to improving
health care for children and seniors.
The people of Palm Beach County know Roberts for her
decades of public service and community activism.
The first woman ever to serve as Commissioner in the
City of West Palm Beach, she went on to serve as the
city's Mayor during a period of unprecedented growth
and renewal. Carol is currently a Member of the Board
of County Commissioners, to which she was re-elected
four times.
Robert's opponent, Republican incumbent Clay Shaw,
won re-election in 2000 by just 599 votes, and redistricting
has made his situation even more precarious. Over
the past decade, fewer than half the voters in the
newly drawn district have seen Shaw's name on a ballot,
and more than half are in Palm Beach County, where
Carol Roberts has been a political force for three
decades. However, Shaw spent more than $3 million
on his last campaign, so Roberts' victory will demand
a substantial campaign fund.
WAND joins EMILY's List, NOW, Planned Parenthood,
the Women's Campaign Fund, and PeacePAC in endorsing
Carol Roberts for Congress.
For more information about Carol Robert's campaign,
visit: WWW.CAROLROBERTSFORCONGRESS.COM
Anne
Sumers
New Jersey-05
Opthamologist and community leader, Anne Sumers is
running for the open seat in New Jersey's 5th congressional
district. Her opponent, Scott Garrett, is wildly pro-life
and proponent of concealed weapons.
Anne, on the other hand, is more akin to the fiscally
responsible and socially moderate Rep. Marge Roukema,
who is retiring.
With the support of WAND PAC, Emily's List, Human
Rights Campaign and an array of labor groups, Ann
can win this race!
*Paid
for by WAND and not authorized by any candidate.
