Press Decries Gender Gap in GOP Leadership with Murkowski’s Primary Loss – Looking to the Future – Fiorina, McMahon, Ayotte and Angle

From Politico: a new article entitled: “Senate GOP's new gender” speaks to the primary loss of Alaska’s Linda Murkowski (R-AK), as if she were the last capable woman in the GOP in the Senate. It was the leadership role that Murkowski had in the Senate, that the author at Politico is apparently mourning, and the fact that Collins (R-ME) or Snow (R-ME), or Hutchinson (R-TX) are the only three GOP women left to choose from.

Apparently, it’s the standard GOP equals old white men cry of Progressives that is understood in the context of this article. One must say – it is a tad too early to project the makeup of the Senate as of November 3, 2010, but one can bet that there will be several qualified women joining Snow, Collins and Hutchinson.

The author goes on to speak of the gap between the two political parties, noting that the Democrats have twelve women to choose from, including Barbara Boxer – which said numbers may be lower as of the 3rd. The implication: Democrats field more women candidates, which is, in itself, not exactly true.

An honest assessment of the women who are poised to take Senate Seats, also includes several who are more than capable of assuming leadership roles, not least among them, Carly Fiorina (R-CA) who is now leading Barbara Boxer in the polls (See Real Clear Politics) In addition, one has to pay close attention for former business executive Linda McMahon (R-CT) who is closing a huge gap between her opponent, Richard Blumenthal, who is not without baggage. Although there are no September polls posted, it would appear likely that McMahon will have gained another point or two in the past month – and that this race will be tight, but winnable for the GOP.

In New Hampshire, one finds Kelly Ayotte with a lead against Democrat Paul Hodes and finally, one has to seriously look at the Nevada race, where Harry Reid after pouring millions into the Nevada sand is still struggling to gain traction against Tea Party/Republican candidate Susan Angle. Polls from August show them at a statistical dead heat.

Therefore, the real story is that there are more women running for Senate on the GOP ticket and that, as a feminist, is heartening to say the least. The fact that a woman runs, and loses is no shame either; it is that competence and gender do not go hand in hand. From this perspective, a vote based on gender without concern to qualifications is no better or worse than a vote based on ethnicity or race, for the same reasons. That said, it sure is heartening to see these women, conservative women, running successful campaigns against entrenched men (for the most part – exception: Boxer).
One has to wonder how well Politico will handle the ensuing presidential contest for 2012, where odds are not out of the question that Sarah Palin will face Hillary Clinton (not Barak Obama) for the Presidency.

Courtesy of Breitbart TV, the first Hillary for President 2012 advertisement. How many democrats feel that had the choice of Super Delegates been different, their party would not be faced with the massive losses this November, and the nation, as a whole, would be in better shape? Of course, at this point, it is all supposition, but nothing pleases more than a progressive pundit (female at that), being forced to choose between the most Progressive President this nation has seen, and a Centrist Democrat and former Goldwater Girl come the primaries of 2012. One has to recall the venom these same journalists who scream disparity for women, used to push their own Hillary Clinton under the bus, in order to elect Barak Obama.