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Ready to Run
Women and men throughout Iowa and neighboring states were challenged to become more involved in politics
Becky Greenwald and Lauris Olson practice asking for money during a fundraising simulation. Photo by Dianne Bystrom
Campaign School Inspires Greater Political Participation
By Dianne Bystrom
Women and men throughout Iowa and neighboring states were challenged to become more involved in politics – by running for elected office, applying for appointed positions, or becoming more involved in a political party or campaign – through the “Ready to Run Iowa” workshop held April 3 at Iowa State University.
The biennial program – offered by Iowa State’s Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Ames – was attended by some 60 participants from Iowa as well as Illinois and Wisconsin. “Ready to Run Iowa” is part of the national “Ready to Run: Campaign Training for Women™” program developed by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
The workshop offered tracks for those who have already made the decision to run as well as those who want to raise their public profile, apply for a local or state board or commission, or become more active in their party or in a campaign. It also featured joint plenary sessions on taking risks, message development and media relations, and successful fundraising. Twenty speakers – 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans – offered their expertise and experiences.
Plenary session speakers included award-winning talk radio host Arnie Arnesen, a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and candidate for governor and the U.S. Senate; campaign strategist Liz Chadderdon of Washington, DC; and successful political fund-raisers Nicole Schlinger and Diane Crookham-Johnson.
Track session panels included political leaders from both major parties – State Reps. Lisa Heddens, Renee Schulte, Linda Upmeyer, and Beth Wessel-Kroeschell; former Lt. Governors Sally Pederson and JoAnn Zimmerman; Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey; former State Reps. Jim Kurtenbach and Tami Wiencek; former State Sen. Maggie Tinsman; U.S. congressional candidate Becky Greenwald; campaign strategists Joe Shannahan and Karen Slifka; Betsy Roe of the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board; and Story County Auditor Mary Mosiman.
Arnesen, who delivered the morning keynote, challenged participants to become more politically active. “The risk is not in running and losing,” she said. “The risk is in not running at all. If you speak truth and run and lose the race, you haven’t really lost. You’ve still changed the landscape and opened a door for yourself or another woman to step through.”
The program was well-received by participants, according to their evaluations. “Arnie’s passion and stories inspired attendees to take action,” wrote one participant. Chadderdon was “energetic, honest and brutal – exactly what incoming candidates need,” wrote another. The fund-raising session was “very interactive – nice at the end of the day,” another participant commented. “Good mix of Democrat and Republican speakers,” another participant noted. “Diverse and helpful suggestions.”
Dawn Bowman, Pleasantville, said the school was very helpful. “The speakers did a great job of providing very useful information, and it was so nice to sit in a room where the majority was incredibly supportive of women running for office.” Barry Ellis of Humboldt, one of three men who attended the program, agreed that the workshop was very helpful. “I am a conservative Republican and I think it is time that a woman needs to be president of the United States,” he said. “I will give my support to make it happen.”
The workshop attracted a diversity of participants from both major political parties as well as independents and those not affiliated with a party. A gold-level sponsorship from Mediacom Communications Corporation was used to reduce tuition for students and offer scholarships for other participants to attend. The next “Ready to Run Iowa” workshop will be held in 2011.
“We were very pleased with the turnout for this year’s campaign school; the enthusiasm and expertise of all of our speakers; and the positive evaluations and comments we received from participants,” said Julie Snyder-Yuly, assistant director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. “We hope to make an impact on the political landscape of Iowa through this program.”
Iowa is one of only four states to have never elected a woman to the U.S. Congress and the proportion of women in the Iowa state legislature (34, or 22.7%) ranks the state 28th in the nation in the percentage of women in state legislatures.
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Dianne Bystrom is the Director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.
