Tammy Baldwin
A courageous and accomplished leader
Cong. Tammy Baldwin, the first woman elected to Congress from Wisconsin, is also the first openly gay non-incumbent in U.S. history to win a House seat. Elected in 1998 with EMILY's List’s support, she's running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl. Baldwin is a standout in the House: she wrote laws expanding breast cancer screenings and enhancing veterans benefits, and she’s a major force behind legislation to expand hate crimes laws and eliminate workplace discrimination. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, Baldwin has been a dedicated advocate for reproductive rights since her days as a member of the Wisconsin state Assembly.
All eyes are on Wisconsin
Between state Republicans' assault on working families and Cong. Paul Ryan's draconian budget blueprint, Wisconsin is front and center in the GOP war on working families. Tammy Baldwin represents the perfect antidote to the right wing’s efforts to undermine workers’ rights, destroy public education, and shred the social safety net. Working Mother magazine gave Tammy its "Best of Congress" working families award for her work on health care and family leave, and AARP has recognized her leadership in protecting seniors.
A rare open Senate seat
There hasn't been an open Senate seat in Wisconsin since 1988, so this is a rare opportunity to elect a new woman Senator -- and the first openly gay Senator, to boot. Tammy's been re-elected by solid margins in her home base of Dane County, but she's well-known statewide for her work to improve the lives of rural Americans, protect Wisconsin farms, and promote economic development to put people back to work. Republicans will fight hard to move this seat into their column. Former Cong. Mark Neumann was the first to announce his candidacy, and he has since been joined by George W. Bush appointee and former Governor Tommy Thompson, as well as current Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald. Strong support from EMILY's List will show Republicans that Tammy is a force to be reckoned with.
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