EMILY's List
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| Motto | Ignite Change |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1985[1] |
| Purpose | To elect pro-choice Democratic women to political office |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
Membership | 3 million[2] |
President | Stephanie Schriock |
Budget | $44,878,362 (2014)[3] |
Revenue | $44,206,357(2014)[3] |
| Website |
www |
EMILY's List is an American political action committee (PAC) that aims to help elect pro-choice Democratic female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1985.[4] According to the Washington Examiner, EMILY's List is "the nation's most influential pro-choice political action committee."[5]
The name EMILY's List is an acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast" (i.e., it raises dough).[4] The saying is a reference to a convention of political fundraising: that receiving lots of donations early in a race is helpful in attracting subsequent donors.
EMILY’s List bundles contributions to the campaigns of pro-choice Democratic women running in targeted races.[6][7]
From 1985 through the 2008 election, EMILY's List had raised and spent $240 million for political candidates.[1] EMILY's List spent $27.4 million in 2010, $34 million in 2012, and $44.9 million in 2014.[3] The organization is on track to raise $60 million for the 2016 election cycle, much of it earmarked for Hillary Clinton, whose presidential bid EMILY's List has endorsed.[8][9]
History and mission
EMILY's List was founded in 1985, when 25 women met in the home of Ellen Malcolm. Founding members included Barbara Boxer, Ann Richards, Anne Wexler, and Donna Shalala.[7] In 1986, early financial support from EMILY's List helped elect Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, the first female Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate in her own right (not appointed or filling a seat of a deceased husband).[1][10]
The group's mission is to cultivate a donor network to raise money for pro-choice female Democratic candidates. To become an official EMILY's List member, an individual must pay $100 to join EMILY's List, and agree to donate a minimum of $100 each to two U.S. Senate, U.S. House, or gubernatorial candidates. Members make their donations directly to EMILY's List, which bundles the checks together and forwards them to candidates.[11]
For the 2006 election cycle, EMILY's List raised about $46 million for candidates in the 2006 contests and the group was listed as the biggest PAC in the nation by Political Money Line.[12] EMILY's List endorsed 31 candidates in 2006, eight of whom were victorious.[7]
In 2008, EMILY's List endorsed 22 U.S. House candidates, two U.S. Senate candidates, and three gubernatorial contenders.[7] The PAC helped elect two new female senators, Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and supported the gubernatorial election of Bev Perdue of North Carolina, the re-election of Gov. Christine Gregoire of Washington, and the successful elections of twelve new women to the United States House of Representatives.[10]
Staff
Stephanie Schriock took over as President of EMILY’s List in 2010. Amy Dacey was the executive director of EMILY's List from 2010 through 2013.[13]
The organization's board of directors includes Ellen Malcolm, Stephanie Schriock, Joanne Howes, Ranny Cooper, Diana Bell, Mary Beth Cahill, Judith-Ann Corrente, Shefali Razdan Duggal, Ted Gavin, Rebecca Haile, Nikki Heidepriem, Judith Lichtman, Debra L. Ness, and Laura Ricketts.[14]
Programs
The Political Opportunity Program (POP) was established in 2001 to encourage pro-choice Democratic women to run for state and local office. POP targets its resources toward pro-choice Democratic women running for state legislatures, state constitutional offices, and local offices.[15]
Women Vote! is EMILY’s List’s independent expenditure arm which communicates directly with voters.[7]
Madam President
In 2013, Emily's List announced its Madam President campaign, saying "There is a mandate for women’s leadership in this country – women are the progressive standard bearers of the Democratic party and every year we add to their ranks. But we have yet to break through the final glass ceiling and put a woman at the top of the Democratic ticket and into the Presidency."[16] Madam President now houses the former social media presences of Ready for Hillary PAC which did grassroots organizing in preparation for Hillary Clinton's presidential candidacy.[17]
Criticism
EMILY's List has received criticism from progressives, who say that the group is on the "wrong side of the political divide" by supporting ostensibly pro-choice female candidates, regardless of how conservative they are on economic issues, and sometimes endorsing female candidates who are less supportive of reproductive rights than a male opponent. They would like to see EMILY's List expand its definition of "women's issues" to include economic issues like a higher minimum wage and expanded Social Security. Others have said that the group simply needs to focus its resources better, staying out of races where there is already an incumbent progressive Democrat and focus on other races instead.[18]
Democrat Marcy Kaptur criticized EMILY's List for being too narrow in focus by emphasizing abortion rights over other progressive issues, such as the minimum wage, that also affect women.[7]
Endorsements
Presidential
On January 20, 2007, EMILY's List endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. The endorsement came within hours of Clinton's announcement that she had formed an exploratory committee to run for president.[7] EMILY's List bundled $855,518 for Clinton, making the group one of the five largest donors to the campaign.[7]
During the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries, when NARAL endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton, EMILY's List was strongly critical. EMILY's List President Ellen Malcolm said, “I think it is tremendously disrespectful to Sen. Clinton - who held up the nomination of a FDA commissioner in order to force approval of Plan B and who spoke so eloquently during the Supreme Court nomination about the importance of protecting Roe vs. Wade - to not give her the courtesy to finish the final three weeks of the primary process. It certainly must be disconcerting for elected leaders who stand up for reproductive rights and expect the choice community will stand with them.”[19]
After the conclusion of the Democratic presidential primary, EMILY's List moved their support to Barack Obama and was vocal in their opposition to the McCain/Palin ticket.[20]
EMILY's List has endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[8]
2012
In 2012, 80% of the candidates endorsed by EMILY's List in the general election were victorious.[21]
2014
In the 2014 election cycle, EMILY's List endorsed 24 U.S. House candidates, six U.S. Senate candidates, and six gubernatorial candidates. Of these 40 candidates endorsed by EMILY's List, 42.5% won.[22]
Similar groups
Similar groups have formed along the same lines as EMILY's List, with some slight variations. The Wish List supports pro-choice Republican women. In 1994, Joan Kirner created a similar organization in Australia by the name EMILY's List Australia.
On the other side of the abortion debate, the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life PAC, supports pro-life women and is seen as the pro-life counterpart to EMILY's List.[23]
Maggie's List is a United States federal political action committee founded in Florida in 2010 to "raise awareness and funds to increase the number of conservative women elected to federal public office."[24][25]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 O'Connor, Karen (2010). Gender and Women's Leadership: A Reference Handbook. SAGE Publications. p. 152. ISBN 9781452266350.
- ↑ Siddiqui, Sabrina (November 7, 2013). "Emily's List Membership Hits 3 Million As Women Candidates Attract National Attention". Huffington Post. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- 1 2 3 "EMILY's List". OpenSecrets.org. Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- 1 2 Halloran, Liz (April 29, 2010). "Mother Of Women's PACs Seeks Younger Supporters". NPR. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Bedard, Paul (July 16, 2013). "Top Obama ally touts Janet Napolitano, Texas abortion defender Wendy Davis, for president". Washington Examiner.
- ↑ "EMILY's List Mission".
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Vaida, Bara; Skalka, Jennifer (June 28, 2008). "Can EMILY's List Get Its Mojo Back?". National Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- 1 2 Chambers, Francesca (July 10, 2015). "Hillary to share in $60 MILLION cash bonanza from pro-abortion campaigners as they launch massive effort to turn Washington female and pro-choice". Daily Mail. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- ↑ Blumenthal, Paul (June 19, 2015). "EMILY's List Already Raising Big Bucks For Hillary Clinton". Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- 1 2 Pimlott, Jamie Pamelia (2010). Women and the Democratic Party: The Evolution of Emily's List. Cambria Press. ISBN 9781604976557.
- ↑ Pluta, Rick (October 17, 1993). "Raising Dough". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ↑ "Sweet column: Hillary Clinton gets key endorsement for 2008 bid". Chicago Sun-Times.
- ↑ Neff, Blake (October 31, 2013). "DNC taps EMILY's List chief as new executive director". The Hill. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ "Board of Directors". EMILY's List. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
- ↑ O'Hea, Olivia (February 27, 2014). "Event empowers young women to run for office". The Times-Delphi. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ "EMILY’s List introduces “Madam President”". www.emilyslist.org. Retrieved 2015-11-07.
- ↑ Andrews, Natalie (2015-04-03). "Fans of ‘Ready For Hillary’ Headed to Emily’s List". WSJ Blogs - Washington Wire. Retrieved 2015-11-07.
- ↑ "Progressive Left's Latest Target: EMILY's List". The Daily Beast. September 4, 2014. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
- ↑ Horowitz, Jason (May 14, 2008). "EMILY's List Trashes NARAL for Obama Endorsement". New York Observer. Archived from the original on May 29, 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Curran, Dan (September 17, 2008). "National Organization for Woman Endorses Obama, Snubs Palin". CNN. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Good, Chris (November 14, 2012). "Claire McCaskill, Emily’s List Celebrate Women’s Wins in 2012". ABC News. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Gold Matea (April 16, 2014). "EMILY’s List powering Democratic women fundraising totals". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Gardner, Amy (May 14, 2010). "Sarah Palin issues a call to action to 'mama grizzlies'". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
- ↑ Cyphers, Karen (2013-06-10). "Jeb Bush to headline Maggie's List event honoring fiscally conservative legislators". SaintPetersBlog. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
- ↑ "Maggie's List. Women's Political Action Committee. Who we are and what we do". Maggieslist.org. Retrieved 2015-06-13.