Knight Ridder Newspapers

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – EMILY’s List, a national organization that advocates for the election of pro-choice Democratic women, fears declining numbers of women in the political pipeline could reverse decades of advances for the fairer sex in the California Legislature.

Nearly half of the legislature’s 37 elected women will lose their seats to term limits in 2006, and an additional 11 will run out their time in 2008.

If women fail to run and win these open seats, the number of females in the legislature could plummet to 10, or just 8 percent of the 120-member Assembly and Senate.

“Term limits open up seats for women but it also means that we need to provide support and training at the local level to keep a strong flow of women in the political pipeline,” said Cristina Uribe with EMILY’s List.

California is not alone.

Declining or stagnant numbers of women willing to participate in political life “is a big concern nationwide,” said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Walsh points to a complex web of factors that favor men over women.

Women tend to delay entering politics until their children are older or grown, and they are far less likely to view themselves as qualified to hold public office, Walsh said.

“As a result, women often need to be asked to run for public office. But until the entire system of who gets groomed for public office changes, we will continue to see white men picking other white men to run for office,” she said.

In a nationwide initiative designed to draw more women into politics, EMILY’s List dramatically bolstered its political training program for pro-choice Democratic women in anticipation of the 2006 and 2008 elections.

EMILY’s List, an acronym for “Early Money Is Like Yeast,” it makes the dough rise, celebrated its 20th birthday this year.

The Washington, D.C.-based group held its first meeting in 1985 in founder Ellen Malcolm’s basement, where several dozen women pooled their contact lists and sent letters asking for contributions for pro- choice, Democratic women candidates.

In its first election cycle, EMILY’s List raised $350,000 and helped elect U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., the first Democratic woman elected to the Senate.

It has since grown to become one of the largest political action committees in the nation, and raised $10.7 million in the last election.

Other organizations perform similar work, including locally based groups or the GOP version, Women In the Senate and the House, although none have grown as large as EMILY’s List.

While EMILY’s List solicits direct contributions to candidates on its endorsement list, it has also evolved into a full-service campaign center for women through its Political Opportunity Program. It includes political training for staff professional consultants and technical campaign assistance.

Recent sessions included a 1 1/2-day crash course in what women need to know to run for office.

“Part of the reason women don’t run is because no has asked them,” Uribe said. “We’re asking them and we’re helping them develop the skills they need to join a pipeline of qualified women candidates.”

At least 10 women have declared themselves candidates for the open seats, while 11 of the termed-out women in 2006 plan to run for higher office or return to local politics.

“It’s a matter of real concern to think about the possible loss of 16 women next year,” said California Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, who will term out in 2008. “We already know there tends to be fewer women as you go up the political ladder and without the experience, confidence and contacts you gain at the state level, there will be even fewer women to run.”

But they plan to substantially ramp it up for the next election with a special focus on local emerging candidates at the city council or county supervisor level, Uribe said.

“This is where our future state and congressional leaders will come from,” Uribe said. “Who is the next (U.S. Sens., D-Calif.) Barbara Boxer or Dianne Feinstein? We have our eyes on the long view.”