| In the last couple of years, women have lost their stronghold on local elected offices. At one time not only did Kitsap County have an all-female county commission, but it also had the majority of women mayors (in all Kitsap cities but Bremerton). Five of the nine state legislators were also women. That picture has since shifted dramatically, but women remain heavily involved, and a heavy influence, in the local political scene — not only in elected seats but also behind the scenes. They do acknowledge that women, indeed, approach some things differently in politics, as they do in everyday life, but for the most part don’t see gender as being an issue. And although women feel they have equal opportunities in the tough world of politics, many agree that there’s still a long way to go to bring the numbers to 50/50.
Becky Krantz, 26th Legislative District leader for Pierce County Republicans, recalls the days when her mother had to fight for many rights, as one of the first feminists in the region. However, those days are gone, as women have become more educated and more interested in following important issues. “In this state, we’ve had a tradition of women in politics,” Krantz says.
Krantz has been interested in politics since she was in eighth grade, and feels it’s “incredibly important” to be involved. “We are blessed to be in a country where we can participate and be involved in the direction of our government,” she says. During her run for the Legislature, Krantz loved doorbelling, and was surprised to find out how interested people were in local issues. “It’s amazing how engaged they are,” she says.
Krantz doesn’t plan to run for office again at present time. She says campaigning was a positive challenge and a huge undertaking, and acknowledges that running for office is very difficult for women who have children. “It’s hard to juggle some things; it’s a huge commitment, pretty exhausting,” she says.
Rep. Christine Rolfes, a Democrat from the 23rd Legislative District, understands the challenge of balancing family and politics very well. Rolfes, whose children are now 6 and 9, served on the Bainbridge City Council in her early 30s for two terms (until 2005), and was a full-time mother at the same time. “Mothers in politics have a different set of challenges,” she says. “When you’re in elected office, you’re on call 24/7 — you can’t turn off your brain when someone calls you with a problem.” Having children, however, helps her keep a balanced life. “I feel like having my kids keeps me grounded; it helps keep the job in perspective,” she says.
Rolfes feels women are on an equal footing with men in the political arena, and Marlyn Jensen agrees. Jensen, a Gig Harbor resident, is the state committee woman and a state executive board member for the 26th district Republican Party. A precinct committee officer for more than 30 years, Jensen can often be seen hosting campaign and fundraising parties for political figures: Rob McKenna, Dino Rossi, Ed Meese (attorney general under President Reagan), and Mark Lunsford (the father of Jessica Lunsford in whose honor Jessica’s Law was named) have all visited Jensen’s parties.
“Politics is an interesting field because it’s always changing,” says Jensen, a retired flight attendant. “I like to talk to people and know what’s in their heads, what their worries are. You get a better feel for what’s going on in this country by talking to people who are grass-roots.”
Jensen feels her upbringing impacted her desire to be involved with politics. She recalls as a young child attending a victory party for Eisenhower, and being crowned the GOP queen in high school. Family activism, in fact, is what inspired many local women politicians.
Former state legislator Lois McMahan says political issues were discussed on a daily basis in her large family when she grew up in rural Idaho. “I feel fortunate to have grown up in a family where my parents took a constant interest in the affairs of their children and set a good example of citizenship,” she says. McMahan, who can still be frequently seen at various meetings and political functions, continues to be involved, currently as the president of South Kitsap Republican Women and elected board member on the state Republic committee. But, she says she has no current plans for another legislative run.
One new face on the legislative campaign trail is Jan Angel. A Kitsap County commissioner whose second term expires at the end of this year, Angel announced in January she will challenge Democrat Pat Lantz for her 23rd Legislative seat in the House. Angel was the chair of Kitsap County Commissioners during a time when all three seats were held by women — and all three received a plaque at the time from the Washington State Association of Counties” with the inscription that read, in part, “In recognition of… one of three women breaking the glass ceiling to serve on the first all female county commission in Washington state.”
Angel says she is running for a state elected office because she realized “there are many things local government can’t fix — it has to be done at state level.”
That ability to solve problems is what attracted Lantz to politics as well. “I honestly cannot remember a time in my life or growing up when it wasn’t important to me to be part of the Democratic process,” she says. Being part of the Legislature, she says, allows her to not only be part of that process but also to try to find the middle ground on various issues, and learning a lot as a result. Lantz, in her fifth term in office, is not ready to step down yet: She says there are still many issues she’d like to help resolve, and plans to run for another two-year term. She thinks the role of women in politics will keep growing.
“The glass ceiling is shattering in the political arena,” she says. “I’m sure we’ll see a continued growth, as women take more places in all spheres of public life,” she says. “In just about every sphere, we’re approaching 50/50 in the professional world and I think that will continue.”
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