Image source: New York Times

By Katie Usalis

This piece was originally published in Ms. Magazine, 5/6/2022

U.S. women are more likely to become moms now than they were a decade ago, Pew Research shows—which means we are seeing an increase of moms running for office. Just last week, Minnesota state Senate candidate Erin Maye Quade actually gave a campaign speech while in labor, where we can see her literally breathing through contractions at the podium. She eventually had to withdraw from the debate and her opponent won the party’s endorsement. What is it like to be a mother running for office?

Today in Minnesota, @ErinMayeQuade gave a convention speech while in active labor. And her opponent didn’t think to ask to postpone the convention as she, you know, had to go to the hospital to deliver her baby. What the hell. pic.twitter.com/Wmu5fh40I6

— ashley fairbanks (@ziibiing) April 24, 2022