by Kathy Groob Publisher ElectWomen Magazine – Iowa 50/50 in 2020.  The name is simple.  This mission is clear – political equality in Iowa.  Getting there isn’t so easy as co-founder and former Senator Maggie Tinsman is finding out.  “We are doing everything we can to find women interested in politics throughout our state,” says Tinsman.  “Women have a different perspective than men on health care, education, the environment and on the economy and we need them in office.”

Symbolizing their goals, the group’s slogan “One century is long enough to wait for equality.” 2020 marks the 100^th anniversary of women’s suffrage and the 50/50 initiative’s goals include adding more women to Iowa’s state legislature to 25 women in the Senate and 50 women in the House of Representatives.  Ambitions go even further to include a female governor, one woman in the U.S. Senate and two women in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Iowa is one of three states to never have sent a woman to represent the state in Congress.

Founders and former senators Maggie Tinsman and Jean Lloyd-Jones are focused on building a true bi-partisan effort that will include equal numbers of Republican and Democratic women.  “When I was serving in the senate, the common bonds as women was stronger than partisanship,” says Tinsman.  The founding board members are equally split between Republicans and Democrats.

“When I was in the Senate there were 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans,” says Tinsman.  “Every committee had a leader from each party and all legislation had to go through the committee process and have strong bi-partisan support before reaching the floor for votes. It was the best scenario for getting things done.”

“We have had a very good response from the public on our mission,” said co-founder and former senator Jean Lloyd-Jones.  “We met recently with Christine Grant the retired athletic director at the University of Iowa, and a group of women coaches about the need to get more women elected.  The first words out of their mouths were the fact that our organization is bi-partisan is a plus,” added Lloyd-Jones.

In January, Iowa 50/50 will sponsor its first training program for women candidates and campaign managers.  Blueprint for Winning Academy will be held in Des Moines January 20-22 and will include top national speakers Chris Jahnke, author of The Well Spoken Woman and Center for American Women and Politics Director Debbie Walsh.  Click here for more information and the application for the program.

“Our current political atmosphere is so toxic that something has to be done to break that cycle,” said Lloyd-Jones.  “Women have to step up and take some responsibility for this government that is spinning out of control.”