Minnesota’s largest women’s PAC provides significant support to their endorsed candidates

Saint Paul, MN — Looking to increase the number of women serving at the state legislature and regain pro-choice majorities lost in the Minnesota House and Senate in 2010, Women Winning today announced the names of the 50 endorsed candidates and pro-choice women incumbents who make up its 2012 class of legislative candidates.

The announcement follows the launch of Women Winning’s Statewide Candidate Recruitment Program and recent legislative winning streak. Women Winning endorsed in five of the six legislative special elections called in 2011 and all five women won — Rep. Carly Melin, Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, Sen. Chris Eaton, Sen. Kari Dziedzic, and Rep. Susan Allen.

“We are thrilled to roll out Women Winning’s 2012 class of legislative candidates,” said Lauren Beecham, Executive Director of Women Winning. “This is a critical year for women. In 2010, the number of women serving in public office declined and now, in 2012, we’ve seen a war on women waged across the nation. We know that when women run, women win — and Women Winning is poised to help elect more pro-choice women than ever before.”

In 2012, Women Winning expanded its political program, recruiting and endorsing more women candidates than ever before. This year’s candidate class includes both Women Winning endorsed candidates and strong, pro-choice incumbents running in metro, suburban and rural districts. Women Winning’s endorsement comes with significant power. Last year alone, Women Winning raised more than half a million dollars in direct contributions and candidate support.

This year women are poised to make major political gains as the rhetoric around the War on Women has galvanized women across the nation. Twenty-years ago, following the uproar around Anita Hill’s treatment by the all-male U.S. Senate Judiciary committee, women saw unprecedented electoral gains. In one week (June 4th), Women Winning will welcome Anita Hill, along with Governor Mark Dayton, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator Al Franken, Congresswoman McCollum and over 1,200 supporters to their 30th Annual Event at The Depot downtown Minneapolis to celebrate their candidate class of 2012.

Click here for the full list of legislative candidates.

About Women Winning

Women Winning’s mission is to encourage promote and support pro-choice women’s leadership in all political parties and levels of public office. Women Winning runs a smart, targeted political program focused on districts deemed winnable for pro-choice women candidates with the goal of increasing the number of women serving at the state legislature to help reclaim pro-choice majorities in both the State House and Senate.

Women Winning was established in 1982 by 25 multi-partisan pro-choice women who wanted to increase the number of women in public office. Thirty years later, Women Winning is the largest and most influential statewide women’s PAC in Minnesota. To learn more about Women Winning, go to www.womenwinning.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.