Run, Mama, Run: Jackie Speier Running for Congress in Special Election Next Tuesday

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Sarah Granger

Imagine a great person, a principled woman, a dedicated mom in Congress. Yes, there are already a few of those, but we're very close to electing one more. On April 8th, former California State Senator Jackie Speier may succeed to where she aimed nearly three decades ago, U.S. Congress. Speier, shown left with me and my daughter, a resident of Hillsborough, California, the youngest woman elected to the San Mateo County supervisors, reportedly the first mom to breast feed in the California State Assembly (as a new widow), and a well-respected two-term state senator first ran for congress after a terrifying experience where her boss, then U.S. Congressman, Leo Ryan, was killed in front of her eyes.

This is a woman who I've had the privilege of seeing in action firsthand and whom I have admired for many years. (Photo is from last year, taken on my phone of me, my daughter, and Senator Speier.) People like her are rare, and our nation would be incredibly lucky to have her legislating on our behalf. Due to a sad twist of fate, Senator Speier may become Congresswoman Speier in a special election next week.

For those not following this race, here's a great article that sums up much of what's going on, although the latest news is that Larry Lessig decided not to jump in. I'm glad. I've met him, I have friends who have worked with him, and I think he's an incredible person with a valiant mission, but he can make a difference in a variety of ways. You couldn't interview a thousand people and find one better qualified for this role than Jackie Speier. She's worked her whole life to get to this point. She could do other jobs too or come at her work from another angle, but this is the best vehicle for her to serve the public good.

Speier has written about the traumatic experiences she suffered through that led her to running for office in This is Not the Life I Ordered, along with three of her close friends. (Here's my review.) Essentially the story she tells is that she was shot and left for dead in Guyana in 1978 after her boss, Congressman Ryan, was killed on a diplomatic trip exploring the Peoples Temple cult. After her recovery, Jackie decided to follow in his footsteps. When she lost that election, she started at the ground level locally and worked her way up, tirelessly supporting women and families along the way. While pregnant with her second child, her husband was killed in a car accident - without insurance - and she was left to support her family as a public servant. Someday someone should make a movie about this woman, because her story is almost unbelievable.