Today the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee (WUFPAC) announced its endorsement of Heather McTeer, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Mississippi’s 2^nd congressional district.

Heather currently serves as the Mayor of Greenville, Mississippi, a position she has held since 2003.  She is the first African American and first woman to serve in this role.  Mayor McTeer will challenge incumbent Congressman Bennie Thompson in the Democratic primary, which will take place on Tuesday, March 13, 2012.

WUFPAC President Katie Vlietstra stated, “Mayor McTeer has dedicated her life to serving her community and the people of Mississippi.  We are thrilled she is running for Congress and believe she will be an excellent advocate for her hometown district in Washington.  Additionally, her election will have significant historical context, as she will be the first woman to represent a congressional seat from Mississippi.”

McTeer was born and raised in Greenville, Mississippi.   She earned her B.A. in Sociology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School.

In 2010, Mayor McTeer was appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Local Government Advisory Committee.  This independent committee of elected and appointed officials advises the agency on a range of environment issues affecting local communities.

WUFPAC is dedicated to electing more young women to public office so that young women have an equal voice in shaping public policy, and building the seniority of women in Congress by electing women at a young age. WUFPAC supports candidates who are committed to empowering young women to succeed.

For more information about Heather McTeer and to donate directly to her campaign, please visit www.heathermcteer.com.

Dec. 13, 2011

People mill around a small room in Acqua Al 2 for a PAC fundraiser. It’s a standard political soiree at the Italian restaurant near Eastern Market, people catching up with old acquaintances and making new connections.

But unlike other political action committee fundraisers, the people in this room aren’t all from the same party, nor do they support the same candidates.

Rather, they have one cause in common: to elect women 40 and younger to office.

The idea behind the Women Under Forty PAC is to get women into politics early, said founder Susannah Shakow, a Democrat and veteran of then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Task Force on National Health Care Reform.

Women who are 44 years old and younger make up 58.8 percent of the female population in the United States and 29.9 percent of the total U.S. population. But, as has always been the case, their representation in Congress is disproportionate: Only seven female Members are 44 and younger (in comparison, 49 male Members are 44 and younger).

“Some people say that these women are too young to run for office, but no one questions it when men run when they’re 25,” Shakow said.

The trick is there is no litmus test for an endorsement from the PAC. You can be against abortion or for gay marriage, and as long as you fall into their age criteria, you’ll receive an endorsement.

The lack of an ideological or partisan component has made fundraising more difficult.

“It’s an interesting challenge, running a bipartisan PAC,” said President Katie Vlietstra, a Republican who once worked for Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

The PAC boasts that it was one of the first to send checks to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) when they ran for Congress, but its endorsement list also includes Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.) and Martha Roby (Ala.), Republican women who were elected during the GOP wave of 2010.

So far in the 2012 election cycle, the PAC has made six endorsements. The candidates run the gamut of the political scale: from Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, the 30-year-old Honolulu City Council member running in Hawaii’s 2nd district (Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono is running for Senate in 2012) to Republican Rep. Kristi Noem(S.D.), a 40-year-old tea party favorite who became the most recent incumbent to receive a WUFPAC endorsement last month.

The PAC isn’t about ideology, Vlietstra said, but about getting younger women to bring their perspectives to Congress.

“These are women who are in the workforce and are married with children,” she said. “They bring a different life experience to Washington.”

The other part of WUFPAC’s mission is to get women into office while they’re young and encourage them to stay so they will gain seniority and lead committees in the future. “Career politicians” are not currently in vogue, but seniority retains certain advantages on the Hill. If women stay in office longer, WUFPAC leaders say, they eventually will join the leadership ranks.

A couple of Members who have been endorsed by WUFPAC in the past have already risen through the ranks. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) serves as vice chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, making her the highest-ranking Republican woman in Congress. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) serves as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.

In the past few years, the PAC has begun making endorsements on the state and local levels to build a deeper bench of younger women who will eventually be ready to run for national office.

Wasserman Schultz understands this part of WUFPAC’s mission; after all, she first ran for a seat in her state Legislature when she was 25.

“Women usually aren’t in a position to run at that stage of our lives,” she said. “WUFPAC has made it easier.”

One such woman is Heather McTeer, a Democratic candidate for the House in Mississippi’s 2nd district.

Currently the mayor of Greenville, McTeer said she first heard of the organization when she was contemplating her run for Congress. As she stood around the PAC’s event at Acqua Al 2, she explained why she had just applied for a WUFPAC endorsement.

“Young women can do it all,” the 36-year-old said. “Walk into a woman’s house, and she’ll be making dinner, balancing the budget, putting the kids to bed. These women are problem solvers. They should be in Congress.”

Women Under Forty Political Action Committee (WUFPAC) today announced its endorsement of incumbent Republican Congresswoman Kristi Noem (At-Large-SD).  WUFPAC first incumbent endorsement of the 2012 cycle.

WUFPAC President Katie Vlietstra stated, “Kristi Noem is a fighter and no stranger to taking a leadership role. As a farmer, businesswoman, and elected official, Kristi Noem has shattered glass ceilings in nearly every stage of her life and rose to leadership positions. Congresswoman Noem is off to a fast start as a member of the Republican Leadership in Congress and we are proud to support her through her journey as she blazes a new trail and legacy for young women in elected positions across America.”

Congresswoman Noem was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2010, and during January 2011 elected to the Republican Leadership ranks for the 112^th Congress as one of two freshman representatives. Her role is critical because she represents a freshman class of over 80 new Republican members of Congress and translates their sentiments to decision makers in Congress.

Prior to her election to Congress, Noem also served in the South Dakota State House for four years and for two years served as Assistant Majority Leader. She also served on several local committees and boards representing counties in South Dakota. A wife and mother, Congresswoman Noem lives with her husband and three children on a ranch in Castlewood, South Dakota.

WUFPAC is dedicated to electing more young women to public office so that young women have an equal voice in shaping public policy, and building the seniority of women in Congress by electing women at a young age. WUFPAC supports candidates who are committed to empowering young women to succeed.

For more information about Congresswoman Kristi Noem and to donate directly to her campaign, please visitwww.kristiforcongress.com.

To support WUFPAC and the 2012 endorsed candidates, please consider making a donation here.

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Women Under Forty PAC announces its endorsement of Tulsi Gabbard, candidate for Congress in Hawaii’s 2nd district.

Tulsi Gabbard, 30, was elected at the age of 21 to serve in the Hawaii State Legislature.  At the age of 29, she was elected to the Honolulu City Council.   A native of Oahu, she is running for Hawaii’s 2nd district seat to replace Rep. Mazie Horono, who is running for Senate.

“WUFPAC is proud to support Tulsi Gabbard.  By the age of 30, she has already been elected twice, and served in active duty in Iraq.  She has spent her life working to help strengthen her community and the world. I can’t think of a better role model for young women thinking about running for office!” said Katie Vlietstra, WUFPAC’s President.  “We are excited to support her candidacy for Congress.”

Gabbard has a long record of public service.  At the age of 19, she cofounded the nonprofit Healthy Hawaii Coalition, whose mission is to educate children about protecting Hawaii’s water resources.   She went on to run for State Representative in 2002 at the age of 21, where she became the youngest women in the United States ever elected to a state office, as well as the youngest legislator in Hawaii history.

Although facing an easy reelection fight, Gabbard decided to serve her country in a different way by enlisting in the Hawaii National Guard, and deploying to Iraq.    She served for two tours of duty, including spending 18 months near Baghdad as the 29th Brigade’s Medical Operations Specialist.  She was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for her performance in Iraq at the end of her tour of duty.  Gabbard serves now as a Captain in the Hawaii National Guard, and she is a Company Commander with 75 soldiers reporting to her.

Elected in 2010 to the Honolulu City Council, she concentrates on health and safety issues facing her constituents, including protecting local beaches from medical waste, and stemming the spread of Dengue Fever.  She also works to make Honolulu a more business friendly environment, including organizing Hawaii’s first International Sister-City Summit, to improve trade opportunities for local businesses.   Tulsi currently serves as Chair of the Safety, Economic Development, and Government Affairs committee, as Vice Chair of the Budget committee and is a member of the Zoning and Public Works committee.

WUFPAC is dedicated to electing more young women to public office so that young women have an equal voice in shaping public policy, and building the seniority of women in Congress by electing women at a young age. WUFPAC supports candidates who are committed to empowering young women to succeed.

For more information about Tulsi Gabbard and to donate directly to her campaign, please visit www.votetulsi.com.

Today the Women Under Forty Political Action Committee (WUFPAC) announced its endorsement of Tomeka R. Hart candidate for Congress in Tennessee’s 9^thdistrict.

Ms. Hart currently serves as the president and CEO of the Memphis Urban League.  She is the first woman to hold this position.  Ms. Hart will challenge Rep. Steve Cohen in the Democratic primary, which will take place on August 2, 2012.

WUFPAC Board Chair Jessica N. Grounds stated, “WUFPAC is thrilled to endorse Tomeka Hart’s campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives.  Tomeka is a shining example of the kind of young women we desperately need as our political leaders.  Tomeka is a dedicated public servant with a passion for education and lifting up underserved communities.  We throw our full support behind her campaign and wish her the best of luck in the months ahead.”

In January 2011, Ms. Hart was nominated by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam as a Commissioner of the Education Commission of the States, a national non-partisan organization that helps states develop education policies.  In 2004, Hart successfully won a seat on the Memphis City Schools Board of Commissioners.  She was re-elected to a second term in 2008, and served as Board President January 2008 – June 2009.

Hart is a native Memphian and attended Memphis public schools. After earning a B.S. degree in Marketing Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she continued her education with a M.B.A. from Kennesaw State University and a J.D. from the University of Memphis.

An avid community servant, Hart is active in many local, state and national organizations. She serves on the boards of the Workforce Investment Network (WIN), the Memphis Riverfront Development Corporation, and the Leadership Academy. Hart serves as a Co-Chair of Leadership Memphis’s Memphis Talent Dividend initiative, and as a member of the Memphis Rotary Club, the Memphis Fair Housing Task Force, the Memphis Task Force on Homelessness, and the Memphis Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

WUFPAC is dedicated to electing more young women to public office so that young women have an equal voice in shaping public policy, and building the seniority of women in Congress by electing women at a young age. WUFPAC supports candidates who are committed to empowering young women to succeed.

For more information about Tomeka R. Hart and to donate directly to her campaign, please visit www.hartforcongress.com.

Women Under Forty PAC announced its first 2012 endorsement today of Laura Ruderman, candidate for Congress in Washington’s 1st district.

Ruderman, 40, is currently the only woman running to replace Congressman Jay Inslee who is leaving his seat to run for Governor.

“Laura is a dynamic and an accomplished candidate who is a tested and proven winner,” said Katie Vlietstra, WUFPAC’s President.  “Our Board of Directors was impressed by her experience in the state House where she was known for her attention to constituent services and hard work by out-walking and outworking her opponents.  Laura has what it takes to win.”

At the age of 27, Ruderman was elected to represent the 45th Legislative District in Washington State, a position she held from 1999 to 2005.  While in office, she was vice chair of the Technology, Telecommunications and Energy Committee, and served on the Appropriations and Rules Committees.  In addition to these assignments, Laura was a member of the K-20 Education Network, the Information Services Board and the Governor’s Task Force on Virtual Learning.   In her three terms in the legislature, Ruderman won Legislator of the Year and was named one of “100 to Watch” by the Democratic Leadership Council in 2003.

For almost 20 years, Ruderman was an active leader in Results, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of impoverished families through legislative action.  She also served a decade on the Board of Directors of Washington Community Alliance for Self Help (CASH), a non-profit organization that provides low-income people, mostly women, with collateral-free microloans, business training, and peer support, enabling them to start and expand small self-employment businesses.

After leaving the Legislature, Ruderman returned to the nonprofit sector, raising money for Sound Mental Health and 21 Acres.  Currently, she serves as the Co-Chair of the Discovery Community School, one of the Lake Washington School District’s Choice Schools.

WUFPAC is dedicated to electing more young women to public office so that young women have an equal voice in shaping public policy, and building the seniority of women in Congress by electing women at a young age. WUFPAC supports candidates who are committed to empowering young women to succeed.

For more information about Laura Ruderman and to donate directly to her campaign, please visit www.lauraruderman.org.

“The WUFPAC Board of Directors offers its deepest sympathies to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, her staff, and innocent constituents, who were injured and tragically killed in Saturday’s horrible incident.   We continue to send our thoughts and prayers to those recovering from their injuries and to the families that are coping with unimaginable grief over the loss of treasured loves ones.   Since her election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, Congresswoman Giffords tenure has been defined by determination, compassion, and immense energy, all characteristics that will serve her well as she recovers from her injuries.”

With the election five days away, Ruth McClung (AZ-07) is the recipient of WUFPAC’s seventh, and final, Congressional endorsement this cycle.   A 28-year old physicist, Ruth is running a competitive race to represent the proud people of Arizona’s 7th Congressional District.

 A proud Wildcat, Ruth received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arizona in 2004 and is an employed, working as a true “rocket scientist.”  Her and husband Michael have made Tucson, Arizona their home and are working towards owning their own business in the near future.   Ruth believes passionately, that her strong educational background and natural interest in the sciences makes her a uniquely qualified candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives.  

“WUFPAC is thrilled to support yet another young woman leader for the U.S. House of Representatives.  We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that Ruth flew under the radar for most of her campaign, but we are so glad that we are able to offer our endorsement and financial support at such a critical time, ” stated WUFPAC President Katie Vlietstra, “In five days, voters will head to the polls across the country to make important decisions regarding their representation in Congress.  We hope that voters in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District will support Ruth on Nov. 2nd and send this accomplished, dynamic, smart woman to Washington.  I think her pragmatic approach to problem solving will guarantee Ruth’s success. ”

To learn more about Ruth and to support her campaign directly, please visit her website. 

Ruth joins a strong group of WUFPAC endorsed candidates who are working hard to earn the right to represent voters in Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.