WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, endorsed Debra Hilstrom in the election for Secretary of State of Minnesota.

“Debra Hilstrom has an outstanding record of public service in her state house district, and she’s ready to bring that experience to all of Minnesota as Secretary of State,” said Stephanie Schriock, President of EMILY’s List. “She has a long history of working to improve her district for women and working families, and the EMILY’s List community – now more than three million members strong – is excited to have the opportunity to help Debra Hilstrom become the first Democratic woman to serve as Minnesota’s Secretary of State in 14 years.”

Debra Hilstrom, an Assistant Attorney for Anoka County, began her career in public service on the Brooklyn Center Planning Commission and advocating for the Brooklyn Center Domestic Abuse Intervention Program. After five years of service on the Brooklyn Center City Council, voters elected her to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2000. Debra continues to serve in the Minnesota State House. She served as the Assistant Minority Leader in the 2003-2004 legislative session and as Deputy Minority Leader in the 2011-2012 biennium. Debra currently chairs the Judiciary Finance and Policy Committee.

In 2001, Debra was recognized for her work on racial equity issues with the “Champion of Racial Justice” award. Her efforts for the health and wellbeing of Minnesotan children resulted in her being awarded the “Children’s Champion Award” from the Children’s Defense Fund in 2006. She was recognized as “Legislator of the Year” in 2007 by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.  The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) named her “Legislator of the Year” in 2009. Debra lives in Brooklyn Center with her husband Joel and their two children.

EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $350 million to support pro-choice Democratic women candidates – making it one of the most successful political action committees in the country. Throughout its 29 year history, the organization has recruited and trained over 8,000 women to run, worked to elect 102 pro-choice Democratic women to the House, 19 to the Senate, 10 governors, and over five hundred women to state and local office. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY’s List helped elect 97% of the Democratic women of color in Congress, including every single Latina, African American, and Asian American Democratic woman currently serving. And during the 2011-2012 cycle, EMILY’s List had the largest number of members and donors in its history and raised a record-breaking $52 million dollars. With the help of this growing community — now more than three million members strong — EMILY’s List helped elect an historic number of candidates in 2012 including 19 new women to the House, six Senate incumbents, three new Senators, and 186 state and local officials.