For Immediate Release
Jan 19, 2010
Statement from Ellen R. Malcolm on the Massachusetts Special Election
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ellen R. Malcolm, president of EMILY's List, issued the following statement on the Massachusetts special election.
"Every one of us who believes in President Obama's agenda and progressive change got a real wake-up call today. Voters' frustration and anger, especially among independents, led to the Republican victory tonight. It was a bitter result for EMILY's List members, who hoped Martha Coakley would become the first woman senator from Massachusetts."
"I am so very proud of the work EMILY's List did in this election. We sounded the alarm, our members responded and their support was overwhelming."
"The shift of independents toward the Republican candidate was the major factor in Martha's loss. Polling showed that independents had a favorable view of Coakley, yet Brown had a significant advantage in support among those voters. This same shift among independents was a factor behind recent Democratic losses in Virginia and New Jersey."
"EMILY's List is conducting a thorough analysis of the race to help us understand how to better help our women candidates running this November. However, one message already is crystal clear: November promises to be a tough election and Democrats must work together to win."
EMILY's List is the nation's largest financial resource for women candidates. In the 2007-2008 cycle, EMILY's List raised more than $43 million to support its mission of recruiting and supporting women candidates, helping them build strong campaigns, and mobilizing women voters to turn out and vote. With more than 100,000 members across the country, EMILY's List is one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY's List has worked to elect 80 pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S. House, 15 to the U.S. Senate, nine governors, and hundreds of women to the state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and other key local offices.
