For some Iowa women, Clinton's loss inspires them to run for office

For millions of women across the country, 2016 was it. The year they'd finally see a woman become the president of the United States.

But then Democrat Hillary Clinton lost to Republican rival Donald Trump.

That glass ceiling may not have been broken quite yet, but there is a silver lining shining through it.

Her defeat has inspired more women in Iowa and across the country to run for office.

'Some women shared that they've been asked to run before and said no,' said Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University. 'But now they feel they need to step up.

'Her loss was a wake-up call. One woman told me, 'I feel like I can't sit back and let women like Hillary Clinton do this for me.''

That's because that enthusiasm for the first female President has turned to frustration, she said.

Bystrom — who also oversees the non-partisan campaign training program for women, Ready to Run Iowa — said interest in this year's program has exploded. In the days following the presidential election in November, before the organization had even started promoting its February workshop, Bystrom received more than 40 emails asking about educational opportunities.

Registration numbers have more than doubled, Bystrom said, forcing the organization to move to a larger location. The daylong workshops — which take place in odd numbered years — typically attract about 40 attendees.

This year numbers jumped to more than 90, including scholarship recipients for young women and women of color. Registration for the Feb. 17 workshops has closed.

'Ready to Run programs across the country have seen an increase,' she added. 'We're all on a listservs, and different states keep talking about how they're full already.'

Iowa certainly has room for improvement when it comes to women in politics. According to a 2015 report by Cedar Rapids-based Iowa Women Lead Change, women comprised about 29 percent of statewide elected executive officeholders and about 23 percent of the Iowa Legislature.

What's more, they made up 11 percent of county boards of supervisors, 14 percent of mayors, 26 percent of city councils and 35 percent of school board members.

It wasn't until 2014 when the state elected its first woman to national congress, Sen. Joni Ernst, and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds will become the state's first female governor later this year when she replaces Gov. Terry Branstad, who was nominated as ambassador to China.

Research shows that women are more likely than men to feel underqualified to run for office. They also are less likely to be asked to run.

That's where organizations such as Ready to Run Iowa and 50-50 in 2020 come in. Both organizations work to train and mentor Iowa women to run for office.

Amy Drahos, a senior air quality scientist at Linn County Public Health, plans to attend the upcoming Ready to Run workshop. She hasn't targeted a particular office she wants to run for, but wants to use the time to fact-find and network.

'It's a chance to get more information on the process,' she said. 'Our responsibility as citizens is to in someway do something to help the community. (Women) offer such unique perspectives, and I feel like this is a great way for women to step up.'

Miriam Timmer-Hackert, who along with her friend Elizabeth Dinschel, plans to run for Coralville City Council. The two also will be attending this month's workshop. Timmer-Hackert said she was disappointed during the 2015 city election to find that only three incumbents — the mayor and two city council members — were running unopposed.

A lawyer and a mediator, she wants to put her skills to the community's use. But she admits, there's a lot she doesn't know about running for office.

'It's kind of scary to run for office,' Timmer-Hackert said. 'I want to build up that confidence. I don't know what I don't know. ...

I appreciate people sharing their experiences so you know you're not alone.'

l Comments: (319) 398-8331; chelsea.keenan@thegazette.com