Women in Politics - Part 4 - Deciding to Run for Office
by ROCHELLE A. SHENK

Ok, now that you have some basics about political parties, government offices, how about running for office?

"I was a stay-at-home mom who was extremely involved with drug prevention in my local area," said State Rep. Katie True (R-41). She explained that in 1978 when she was a young mother, her stepson came to live with her family and became involved with drugs at school. She educated herself about drugs and drug issues and became involved in Nancy Regan's "Just Say No" program. She started a program in her local school called "Kids Saving Kids"-college students trained drug-free high school students to talk to students in elementary school and middle school about drugs and how drug use can impact their lives. That program went statewide and was even used in some schools in other states. "I became known for my involvement with the 'Kids Saving Kids' program," she explained.

Marilyn Zilli is the executive director for the democrats, Pennsylvania Senate Education committee, working out of State Senator Raphael Musto's office. She has been in that position since the beginning of the year, and previously had been chief of staff/counsel to State Senator Allyson Schwartz of the 4th District. Prior to that she was an attorney in private practice for 25 years. "By the end of my tenure in private practice the bulk of my cases were family law and criminal defense cases. My clients came to me with their lives in complete chaos and needing a lot of things. I had their lives in my hands. I enjoyed those challenges," she said.

She's been involved in a number of community organizations including the Capitol Area Democratic Women's Club and the Cumberland County Democratic Committee's executive board. She became involved with the Cumberland County Commission for Women in 2000 (and currently serves as chair of that organization). Through those affiliations she began to consider opportunities in politics. "As an attorney you spend your time trying to interpret and apply laws passed by the legislature. When involved in the legislative process laws are passed which are used by those in the real world," she explained.

Since True had made a name for herself in the local community, she was asked to serve as a Republican Committee woman in her district. "I started out by working in the community as a volunteer. I had worked with legislators as a volunteer on the drug issue, so I had a chance to learn about politics from that aspect, and that's been very valuable," True said. Through her volunteer work on the drug program she learned how to give credit to others as well as how to work with others. "My motto is - solution not blame - we need to find a solution to the problem not assign blame for it. For me and a lot of the other women in the legislature, we look at the end result; the goal is to make it happen for people we care about," she commented.

True stated that the job in the House is something that politicians have to ask for every one and half-years (that's when they go back to their local committee to seek endorsement for re-election). "You have to be well prepared {to discuss the issues you've supported and those you've not supported and why}. You should enjoy doing the job, not desperately need it," True said.

True noted that the job of a legislator should be about getting things accomplished. "You need to remember that the taxpayers are allowing you to stay in this position and for the moment to do the job. And sometimes to do the job, you need to work bi-partisanly. I'm not a straight party line person-I work with people from across the aisle if that's what's needed to get the job done. You have to be willing to fight for what you want," she stated.

Zilli added that both women and men need to be knowledgeable and dedicated, being comfortable in public speaking is also as important as is having a pleasing personality (rather than being abrasive). She noted that in recent years, women have filled some top positions in state departments including Secretary of Education, Secretary of Welfare, and Secretary of Environmental Protection. "Women have expertise in all kinds of areas including what has been traditionally considered to be a men's area such as business. A lot of people think that female legislators like to talk about 'women's issues.' As a woman and a legislator I don't think that we need to be confined to that, but I do hope that a woman will always think about how a particular piece of legislation will affect women," she stressed.

True always remembers her constituents. "The bottom line is that the people who elected you are the most important people," she said. She noted that she is extremely accessible to her constituents-she reads and answers her own e-mail, she goes to community functions in which she's invited. She has tried holding town meetings but it wasn't very successful for her. "I get a lot of e-mail-it's an easy way for people to communicate and a great way to get the pulse of your constituency," she said.

Her advice to women is to get involved. "If you can get a holiday meal on the table, you have the makings of a politician," she said.

Zilli's advice to anyone considering a state-wide office touches several areas:

First you need a good deal of money to run for the legislature. "Women are getting better at raising money than they used to be," she said. True admitted that fundraising is one of the areas she's not fond of, but she knows it's necessary.

Be prepared to function at a high energy level for long periods of time. The campaign requires total focus to the exclusion of some other areas of your life. "A candidate needs a supportive and understanding family," she said.

Desire to win.

THE "WINNING EDGE CAMPAIGN SCHOOL" TO BE HELD
IN LANCASTER IN JANUARY 2006

"The Winning Edge Campaign School" will be held January 12-14, 2006, at multiple sites on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster.

Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Women's Campaign Fund, the Women's Alliance of Lancaster, Franklin & Marshall College, Millersville University and Planned Parenthood of the Susquehanna Valley, the event will begin mid-afternoon on Thursday, January 12 and wrap up on Saturday afternoon, January 14. Cost is $100. Details regarding housing are being finalized.

The Pennsylvania Women's Campaign School is a unique training opportunity for women candidates that offer the Winning Edge. The school is based on the simulation of an actual campaign to guide participants through the process of building a successful campaign. In two days of working in teams, participants experience building a real campaign, learn to make the right decisions about message, how to handle communications crises, manage criticism, raise money and much, much more. Participants work in teams to fill roles including the candidate and campaign manager. During the culminating event of this campaign school, the candidate and her team make a presentation to a panel of judges.

The event is being coordinated by the Pennsylvania Women's Campaign Fund, a political action committee devoted solely to supporting progressive women candidates for election to the General Assembly. Martha Lester Harris, president of the Pennsylvania Women's Campaign Fund, explained that this campaign school is modeled after one that was held in July at Chatham College near Pittsburgh. "The curriculum will be similar, and we'll have some of the same speakers," she said.

She stressed that the campaign school is not just for women who are running for office or in a campaign. "This past summer a number of women who were in advocacy positions, government relations or who deal with legislators and legislation as part of their career attended the campaign school, she said.

Harris is hopeful that the campaign school will recruit women who will be running in the spring primary who can use a couple of days to put their strategy together.

For further information, visit the Pennsylvania Women's Campaign Fund website: www.pawcf.org.

Katie True
State Representative

Are there any issues in which you are steadfast?
Because of my work with drugs and underage drinking, I never vote to expand anything to do with alcohol. I'm strongly opposed to that, and I believe that the worst thing you can do is compromise your beliefs on that issue.

Is there someone you relied on for help during or after your campaign?
I had a great mentor, Jere Shuler. For the first two years I listened. He explained the political process in terms that I could relate to. One of the pieces of advice he gave me was to choose my battles-decide to fight for the issues you feel strongly about.

Marilyn Zilli
Executive director for the democrats, Pennsylvania Senate Education committee

Are there any issues in which you are steadfast?
You develop a sense of timing-there are times when you can compromise to get most of what you want and times when you need to stick to your guns,"

Is there someone you relied on for help during or after your campaign?
When I was a candidate there was a group of people whose advice I relied on, people I sought for specific issues during the campaign. My husband and I are best friends and I talk to him about everything… and I did. However, he knew there were some technical issues where I needed advice from other people," she said.

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