Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski recently got a trouncing in the press for trying to involve her office in programs to increase access to voting — in other words, to protect democracy. Secretaries of state often perform this kind of work, but in Wisconsin our independent election commission governs our voting process. Republicans have been trying to gain control of these offices around the country in order to gain electoral advantages, so I can understand why some were concerned with Godlewski’s ideas. But I can’t stomach the sexism that was embedded in the criticism.
Don Millis, chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, wrote in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Godlewiski should “stay in her lane.” The Wisconsin State Journal opined that she should “knock it off,” suggesting she was motivated by “ambition,” not principle or policy. Dave Cieslewicz, an Isthmus blogger, also noted Godlewski’s ambition in a post on his other blog, Yellow Stripes & Dead Armadillos, and seemed to imply that she might want to consider playing golf if she had time to fill.
The ongoing debate over Godlewski’s appointment as secretary of state and her vision for that office demonstrates, once again, what women are in for when they make the big decision to run and serve: they cannot win, even when they do.
As a political consultant for 25 years, I’ve seen this day in and out as we work to shatter glass ceilings all over this country. We are forced to help women work with the patriarchy by conforming. They must dress right, have the perfect voice, and never make mistakes. We must be strong, but not too strong, lead but not challenge authority.
The #metoo movement inspired record numbers of women to run for office; it made little dent in the number of women serving in office. The movement forced men to be held accountable for the most egregious acts of abuse and oppression but has had little impact on the day-to-day behaviors of those who hold power. We need to call out sexism where it lives, and that includes the media. There remains little accountability, self-reflection, and change from those who set the stage for public debate.
Sarah Godlewski’s press coverage is a prime example. She entered Wisconsin politics because she believed in the power of statewide offices to improve Wisconsinites’ lives. She saw how Republicans have worked to strip duties from those offices to consolidate their own power — leaving them less able to hold the Legislature accountable and protect the people of Wisconsin — and took action.
She worked to bring a constitutional amendment to protect the office of treasurer. She ran for the office itself, won, and used her office to make the treasurer’s office relevant to the people of Wisconsin. She launched a task force to identify ways to address property tax foreclosure and created the organization called Take Root Wisconsin, which is helping Wisconsinites buy, fix, and stay in their homes. She chaired the governor’s Retirement Security Task Force and created bi-partisan legislation for an innovative child savings account program that would open a savings account for every kid in Wisconsin; the bill received a hearing, a victory for a Democrat in and of itself in the Republican-controlled Legislature. And she created a taxpayer report that provides a clear understanding of the budget.
Despite her hard work and accomplishments, during her race for U.S. Senate, she was branded a climber who just wanted power instead of someone vested in making a difference. She was an obvious choice for Gov. Tony Evers to fill a surprising retirement, but has been criticized for taking the post nevertheless. In office she’s been trying to emphasize the importance of a strong democracy and that sparked a debate we should have in our state. We should talk about how we best protect our voting process and make it secure, accessible and equitable.
Instead Godlewski was mansplained to, told to be quiet, and to return to her basement in the Capitol. It’s sexist, and it’s not acceptable.
We didn’t invent sexism and, therefore, shouldn’t have to be the ones who stop it. The press and insiders within both parties need to consider their biases and how they can wield their power and influence to shape the debate in a non-sexist way. Women will never truly win if they don’t.
In fact, they won’t even run.
It’s tough to recruit women to run for office because it invites an endless barrage of stories that have nothing to do with the office but instead about who might hold it and why their hair should disqualify them.
It’s time to hold those in power accountable not just for blatant acts of sexism and racism, but also for the more subtle ways that these issues permeate media coverage on a daily basis. While women can certainly continue to call attention to these problems, the ultimate responsibility for change lies with those who perpetuate discrimination.
We won’t simply go quietly and play golf, accepting our subordinate position. Women in office are committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of those they serve. Candidates must be judged on their merits rather than their gender.
Heather Colburn, a 25-year veteran of Wisconsin politics, is the CEO of Run the World, a national political consulting firm, working to shatter glass ceilings and elect new voices to office across the country.
