When I was a child summer felt like an endless blank canvas with plenty of time for reading, spending time in the woods, and unwinding after the school year. While I still make time for reading and gardening, summer has a different flavor now that I am a parent of three adults and working fulltime. I am feeling very fortunate to be able to weave in some time for rejuvenation between the work deadlines & travel this summer – I hope each of you are finding ways to fortify yourselves for the work ahead.
In new red Keds & my favorite orange & white striped dress at our family cabin in the Pine Barrens in 1970 or thereabouts
Milestones for notable women leaders this week include birthdays for poet Annis Cassells; president & CEO of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Nicole Austin-Hillery; author Sharon Creech; my former boss Dee Frankfourth; healthcare professional Ann Greiner; filmmaker Ellen Brodsky and her neighbor, author Celeste Ng; Feminist Majority Foundation president Eleanor Smeal, Susannah Wellford’s daughter Bea Shakow; and author Jill Filipovic.
With Ellie Smeal a few years ago
Wisconsin Open Seat Governor’s Race Draws Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez
Sara Rodriguez. Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Among our 50 governors, only 12 are women, as reported by the Center for American Women in Politics, (CAWP). But that number may grow to 14 this November, and 2026 will create opportunities for at least 30 percent of governors to be women for the first time.
One opening is in Wisconsin. Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez entered the 2026 Democratic primary for governor in this video on X, becoming the first woman in the field and instantly reshaping the dynamics of the race. The Wisconsin Examiner provided more about her announcement:
Rodriguez got degrees in neuroscience and nursing before working as a nurse in an emergency room in Baltimore. She has also worked for the Centers for Disease Control and has served as vice president for several health care-related businesses, including at Advocate Aurora Health from 2017-2020.
Rodriguez said in the video that entering politics wasn’t part of her plan, but seeing “a broken system,” she decided to run for the Assembly. She flipped a Republican seat that covered parts of Milwaukee and Waukesha in 2020 by 735 votes, and served for one term before making her run for lieutenant governor in 2021. After winning the Democratic primary, she joined Evers on the ticket.
But Rodriguez won’t be alone. A number of prominent men are exploring the contest, according to the Examiner, as is state senator Kelda Roys, who finished third in a 2018 primary bid for governor.
As Rodriguez leaves her Lt. Governor office next year, CAWP reports that women do far better for that office, currently holding a majority of 22 (14 Democrats and 8 Republicans) of our nation's offices of Lt. Governor.
New York City Analysis Reveals Adrienne Adams Would Have Defeated Andrew Cuomo Head-to-Head
Head-to-head comparisons of 2026 NYC mayoral candidates. Source: FairVote
The New York City mayoral primary has been certified, with Zoran Mamdani having won the Democratic contest with more votes than any previous Democratic nominee. Both FairVote and the New York Times conducted in-depth analyses of the full cast vote record that shows each voter’s rankings. Their findings included FairVote’s chart above, which simulates “head-to-head” comparisons of how each candidate would fare against every other candidate.
Mamdani does well in this comparison. He defeats Andrew Cuomo by 56.4% to 43.7% and defeats every other candidate by at least 69.6% to 31.4%. But what jumped out for me was what this comparison showed for City Council speaker Adrienne Adams, who entered the race late and struggled to gain traction. While earning only 4.1% of first choices compared to Cuomo's 36.2%, when matched against Cuomo head to head, she defeated him, and, as reported by the New York Times, is ranked by 54% of voters as compared to only 45.7% who ranked Cuomo. Barely half of Cuomo’s voters ranked another candidate, as compared to more than 90% of backers of every other candidate.
Keep in mind the extraordinary amounts of money Cuomo and his allies spent and the big initial advantage he had in name recognition and early polling. In “independent expenditures” (IE’s) alone, Cuomo had more than 26 million in IE’s on his behalf, including more than $8 million attacking Mamdania. That compares to barely a million dollars in support of Mamdani and only half a million for Adams. Yet, a system that rewards engagement and coalition essentially nullified Cuomo’s millions.
NYC Campaign Spending Chart. Source: The City and New York City Campaign Finance Board
Expand Democracy’s Rob Richie anticipated this finding in his piece in the Expand Democracy Five on June 6th.
New York’s use of RCV is important. On one hand, it engages more voters, so having funds to reach them is beneficial. On the other hand, the fact that the backup choices of trailing candidates can be decisive makes it electorally risky to alienate voters with overly aggressive attacks. Winners in competitive RCV races usually are ranked in the top three by more than 75% of voters, underscoring that relationship-building and positive campaigns are important. Given that IEs thrive on negative attack ads, having more money is not enough to win.
Indeed, in the 2021 primary, The City reported in July 2021 that “The five men among the top eight Democratic candidates outpaced the women in garnering the support of super PACs — a.k.a. independent expenditure groups — by a margin of more than 13-to-1, an analysis by The City found. And they beat the women by about 6-to-1 in private fundraising.” Yet Maya Wiley and Kathryn Garcia ended up being second and third in first choices, and Garcia was the overwhelming preference of voters as a backup choice, reducing frontrunner Eric Adams’ lead from nearly 105,000 votes to some 7,000 votes in the final instant runoff.
That’s a pattern I’ve observed in a series of competitive major elections with RCV. As a candidate, I’d prefer to have more money than not, but it’s not enough in itself. Candidates perform best when they and their campaign team get out to meet voters, speak at local events, earn endorsements, and build relationships. Recognizing his significant lead before spending any money, we’ll soon see how Cuomo’s substantial IE spending advantage translates into impact.
Misogyny Helped Elect Trump Again, But Women Must Keep Seeking Equality
Donald Trump declined to debate more than once with Kamala Harris in 2024. Source: Reuters
Pollster Anna Greenberg provides an important take on the 2024 elections in The Hill, both showing that Democrats as a brand are taking electoral hits due to misogyny, but that the answer isn't to back away from seeking equality. In Democrats’ struggles with men: It’s the misogyny, stupid, Greenberg writes:
In the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election, there has been a lot of handwringing about Democrats’ struggles with men. Vice President Kamala Harris lost men badly, securing 42 percent of male voters compared to 48 percent who had voted for former President Joe Biden in 2020. The biggest shift came from younger men, with only 46 percent supporting Harris whereas 56 percent had voted for Biden. This decline was not just concentrated among white men but was also evident among Black and Hispanic young men.
Given the campaign that Trump ran against Harris, it shouldn’t be any surprise that she suffered with male voters. Trump’s misogyny was front and center, in the language that he used talking about Harris (e.g., “retarded”) and other Black women (e.g., “low IQ”); in JD Vance’s invocation of childless cat ladies; in Trump’s claim that he wanted to “protect” women; in his attacks on journalist and author E. Jean Carroll; and more. Of course, Trump deployed these same strategies against Hillary Clinton in 2016 but had a greater reach in 2024 by deliberately targeting the “manosphere.” …
This is not to say that all men or even men who voted for Trump are misogynists. Feeling that things were better economically under the first Trump administration convinced many men to support Trump in 2024. The new Speaking with American Men report argues persuasively that many young men are struggling financially and are socially isolated. Trying to find their way in a system that doesn’t work for them, many supported Trump because they thought he could change the system.
They may soon change their views about Trump’s ability to make things better — in the most recent Harvard Youth Poll, 59 percent of young men disapprove of the job Trump is doing as president.
It is fair to criticize the Democratic Party for not having a good answer to very real challenges of living in our society for young men and the many other voters, including women, who felt the same way. But the solution cannot be to blame women for gaining rights or to kick the base of the Democratic Party — women voters — to the curb.
Her Bold Move Elevates Christina Hines - Only Woman in 8-candidate Congressional Field
We cannot cover every congressional race in the country, but it’s notable when one of the true swing congressional districts does not have an incumbent, and men are mostly stepping up to run. Here is Her Bold Move Action on its endorsements of Christina Hines in the 10th congressional district in Michigan,
In the 2022 election for this seat, Republican John James won by 0.5% – not even a full 1%. Now, John James is running for Governor, which makes this an open and highly competitive seat. … [Christina Hines says: “I’m running for Congress because I want to make sure my neighbors - the working families in our community - have affordable healthcare, housing, groceries, and daycare. We have a lot of work to do, but together, we can continue to fight for a better future.”
Larry Sabato’s ‘Crystal Ball’ has rated MI-10 as a Tossup in 2026, and this district is one of the DCCC’s targeted races for 2026. When Christina was on the ballot as the Democratic Nominee for County Prosecutor in 2024, she outperformed both the Democratic congressional nominee AND Kamala Harris. Now, it's time to ensure she has what she needs to replace John James and get us a step closer to regaining control of the House….Eight candidates are vying for this seat – and Christina is the only woman.
Women Candidates in India Allowed to Use Both Maiden and Married Names on Ballots
Women candidates running for national office in 2024 in Maharashtra. Source: Free Press Journal
In a move that supports women’s autonomy and visibility in public life, a local election commission in India has announced that women candidates can now list both their maiden and married names on the ballot in upcoming elections in Maharashtra, which earlier pioneered reserved seats for women that currently ensures at least half of seats elected in the upcoming election will be held by women. The Times of India reports on the new policy on names:
The State Election Commission (SEC) has allowed women candidates to display both their pre-marriage (maiden) and post-marriage names on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), provided they formally request it and meet the eligibility criteria, senior officials told TOI over the weekend. The directive, issued ahead of the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra, is expected to benefit women known in public life by both names.
The policy shift is a small but significant step toward addressing the identity hurdles many women face when entering politics. In a political system where name recognition is crucial, the ability to use both names ensures that a woman’s public and professional identity isn’t erased by marriage, especially in communities where she may be known by her birth name. Advocates say the change will improve transparency, reduce voter confusion, and reflect the real lives of women candidates navigating both tradition and modern public service.
While symbolic, this reform touches on a deeper truth: women around the world are still expected to reshape their identities to fit into political systems built by and for men. Policies like this challenge the structure, one detail at a time.
In Bougainville, a Trailblazing Woman Minister Fights to Keep Her Seat
Bougainville Cabinet Minister Theonila Roka Matbob. Source: RNZ
In the autonomous region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, Cabinet Minister Theonila Roka Matbob was one of only two women elected to the 39-member legislature in 2020. In her re-election against nine men, she’s defending women’s political representation in a region where it remains rare. An RNZ interview with her leads reports:
One of the first women to hold an open seat in Bougainville, Theonila Roka Matbob, is confident she can win again. Bougainville goes to the polls in the first week of September, and Roka Matbob aims to hold on to her Ioro seat in central Bougainville, where she is up against nine men. The MP, who is also the Minister of Community Government, recently led the campaign that convinced multinational Rio Tinto to clean up the mess caused by the Panguna Mine.
While women in Bougainville have long held traditional leadership roles, barriers to formal political power remain steep, from patriarchal party structures to financial challenges and gender-based intimidation to the winner-take-all nature of single-member districts. As Matbob puts it: “We cannot afford to slide backward. We need women at the table, especially now.” Her fight is emblematic of a larger global truth: electing women is only the first step; keeping them in power requires real structural change.
After Hortman’s Assassination, MN Forum Moves Forward Amid Rising Concerns About Safety for Women in Office
Memorial for State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at the Minnesota Capitol. Source: The Trace
Following the tragic assassination of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, the League of Women Voters is stepping in to host a candidate forum for the special election in District 34B, the seat left vacant after her death. The event, scheduled ahead of the August special election, is meant to provide space for civic engagement, but it also comes at a moment of heightened fear and uncertainty, especially for women in politics. Hortman, a widely respected leader and one of the most prominent women leaders in the state, and an advocate for reproductive rights and education, was targeted in a politically motivated attack in June 2025. Her death has sparked renewed scrutiny of the threats faced by women in public service, that are growing in both frequency and intensity across the US.
According to a new 2025 survey by the Brennan Center for Justice, more than 1 in 3 local election officials report experiencing threats, harassment, or abuse because of their jobs, most often in person. Over half are concerned about the safety of their colleagues, and more than a quarter worry about threats to their families. The vast majority say they feel unprepared to deal with bomb threats, swatting, or politically motivated violence. And while these numbers reflect general trends, women, and particularly women of color, bear a disproportionate share of this abuse, often targeted for both their political roles and their identities.
The League’s decision to hold this public forum anyway is a testament to democratic resilience, but also a reminder of what’s at stake. It is not enough to elect women to office; we must build systems that protect their right to serve without fear. That means increased security resources, accountability for threats, and a deeper cultural reckoning with the gendered nature of political violence.
For those seeking tools to support and protect election officials, SafeElections.org offers guidance on how to report threats, strengthen digital and physical security, and advocate for protective policies. It's a critical resource for anyone working to ensure public service remains safe, accessible, and representative.
In District 34B, voters will soon choose a new representative. But in the shadow of Hortman’s assassination, the bigger question lingers: How do we protect democracy if we can’t protect the people who serve it?
Great Connections & Conversations During Trips to Boston & Seattle
I am in Seattle for a series of meetings this week, including a terrific conversation about democracy and electoral reform hosted by Gabrielle Fitzgerald who directs Panorama Global. Last week I was in Boston for Citizen University’s Civic Collaboratory, which was a great opportunity to reconnect with leaders in the civics-strengthening ecosystem.
With members of the Civic Collaboratory at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in Cambridge, MA last week
With members of the FairVote Washington team in Seattle including Nilu Jenks, Elise Orlick, and Lisa Ayrault
With Rob Richie & Gabrielle Fitzgerald at the offices of Panorama Global
That’s all for this week my friends,
P.S. It was fun to see that Gabrielle had a RepresentWomen postcard of women leaders, painted by my dear friend Melanie Humble, on the door of her office below this beautiful poster!
