EMILY's List Members Celebrate Gwen Moore Triumph in Wisconsin

WASHINGTON – Following is a statement by Ellen R. Malcolm, president of EMILY's List, on Gwen Moore's win in Wisconsin.

"Today, we celebrate the overwhelming victory of Gwen Moore in Wisconsin's fourth district. The voters chose Gwen because she understands the challenges of working families in Wisconsin and will work passionately on the issues important to them. As the first African-American to represent Wisconsin in the House of Representatives, Gwen will fight to improve education, healthcare, and minority rights in her district and throughout the country. EMILY's List members are proud to have been part of this extraordinary and historic campaign."

Gwen Moore – WI-4

By winning a contested primary to claim the Milwaukee-area House seat vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Jerry Kleczka, State Sen. Gwen Moore will be the first African American to represent the state of Wisconsin in Congress. Moore believes passionately that government can improve people's lives. "I know government can help people lift themselves up, because it helped me lift myself up," she says. The eighth of nine children, Moore grew up in Milwaukee, the daughter of a factory worker and a school teacher. Moore began her career as a community activist and a VISTA volunteer. She spearheaded the start-up of a community development credit union and served the city of Milwaukee as a neighborhood development specialist. She worked in the state departments of employment relations and health and human services. In 1988, she was elected to the state House; in 1992, she won a very contested seat in the state Senate.

In the legislature, Moore has developed a reputation as an outspoken advocate for her constituents. She's been a powerful voice for prescription drug coverage, the state's Minority Health Program, educational accountability standards, and reproductive rights.

Facts on EMILY's List in Wisconsin

With more than 100,000 contributing members across the country, EMILY's List is the nation's largest political action committee. We are a network dedicated to electing pro-choice Democratic women to federal, state, and local office by recruiting and funding viable women candidates; helping them build and run effective campaign organizations; and mobilizing women voters to help elect progressive candidates across the nation. Nationally, EMILY's List members made more than 109,000 individual contributions to EMILY's List candidates through the country. With an average contribution of just $98, EMILY's List members contributed approximately 10.6 million dollars to EMILY's List candidates around the country.

• There are over 1,300 EMILY's List members in Wisconsin
• Overall, EMILY's List members contributed more than $650,000 to efforts in Wisconsin.

EMILY's List WOMEN VOTE! in Wisconsin

EMILY's List WOMEN VOTE!, (ELWV) the nation's largest voter engagement strategy designed specifically for women voters, educates women voters around the country and mobilizes them on behalf of Democrats up and down the ballot. ELWV reached out to women voters through television, radio, direct mail, the internet and, most importantly, personal door-to-door contact to motivate them to support Democratic candidates. In 2004, EMILY's List WOMEN VOTE! focused in several presidential battleground states, including Florida, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

In Wisconsin, the EMILY's WOMEN VOTE! program ran television ads in the Milwaukee targeted to women voters.