Column: Iowa women ready to go to Washington

The phrase “The Year of the Woman” has been so overused in politics I'm almost afraid to jinx it. But it's heartening to see strong female candidates step up to run for two open federal races. It's not too late for others to do the same.

Three women are vying for the Democratic Party's nomination for Bruce Braley's First District Congressional seat. Republican State Sen. Joni Ernst is making a run at the Senate seat Tom Harkin's giving up.

That's big news all around, because the biggest factor in our state's never having sent a woman to Congress (we're one of only five states with that dubious distinction) is that too few women run. That's especially true in open races - where challengers face off on more-or-less even ground.

You might wonder why it matters. If women don't want to run for Congress, why try to twist their arms? Because it's not so much that women don't want to do the work, but that they don't see themselves doing it. As former state Sen. Jean Lloyd-Jones, of Iowa City, told me this week: “Women have to be asked and reassured that they're qualified.”

The same can be true for party leaders, who frequently overlook qualified women when recruiting for open spots. That reluctance doesn't trickle down to voters - research consistently shows when female candidates run, they win as often as men.

Why does it matter? Well, just as in anything, the more diverse our legislative bodies, the more representative they are. Take a lesson learned from business, said Lloyd-Jones, one of the founders of 50-50 in 2020, a bipartisan group that wants to see gender equity in elected offices by the 100th anniversary of U.S. women's right to vote. When boards have more women, conversations are more civil, the diversity of ideas is broader and decisions are more pragmatic.

“It's not because women are smarter or better,” she said. “It's because the mix leads to broader conversations and better results.”

Not that we should elect candidates simply because they're women, of course - no more than we should men. But that, especially given the underrepresentation of women in elected bodies everywhere, that diversity can be a strength. A different view, a new perspective. Not to mention that women in office have tended to be more collaborative, more willing to work across the aisle.

So here's hoping that even more strong female candidates throw their hats into the ring before it's over. If you're out there and you're reading: Consider this your formal invitation.

Comments: (319) 339-3154; jennifer.hemmingsen@sourcemedia.net