By Kathy Groob, ElectWomen – SPOILER ALERT – If you haven’t watched the most recent episode of CBS’s The Good Wife, then don’t read this. If you do not watch The Good Wife, you should start.  The popular Good Wife’s main character, Alicia Florrick (aka Julianna Margulies), announced her candidacy for State’s Attorney at the end of Sunday’s episode. Since the beginning of this season, a political staffer to Alicia’s powerful husband the governor, had been pushing and prodding Alicia to run for office. Week after week she said no, “I’m not running, I’m not ever running.” (By the way, Aleicia’s television governor husband is Big, from the Sex in the City movie.)

But after cameo appearances and encouragement by White House advisor Valerie Jarrett and feminist leader Gloria Steinem, Alicia Florrick caved and announced she was running.

Ok, this is television, but it very closely mirrors the real struggles women have with politics.  The character Alicia, the stressed out, over-worked mom who is raising teenagers while balancing a career, continually stated a resounding “NO” to anyone who was encouraging her to run for public office.  But after thinking it over, and some gentle encouragement by powerful women, changed her mind and decides to go for it. This scenario is played out year after year with women in America and the bottom line is, most just do not decide to run.

So The Good Wife is just good entertainment, an alternative to football on Sunday nights. Or is it? Could it be that the beautiful, brilliant, strong fighter Alicia Florrick, will inspire more American women to engage in politics, and maybe even run for office?

No doubt, in the coming weeks Alicia and her characters will play out the seamy side of politics; the negative attacks and dirty tricks that almost always go along with a political campaign.  But Alicia Florrick, being the strong “good wife” that she is, will survive and maybe even thrive. And she will prove to American women that we do belong in the arena and that we are tough enough.

I will be watching next Sunday, cheering for Alicia.  I hope you will join me.