Ellen Malcolm, founder, EMILY's List

Air Dates: October 8-10, 2016

This Week: ELLEN MALCOLM, Political Activist & Author of"When Women Win, EMILY’s List and the Rise of Womenin American Politics"

“One of America's Most Influential Women” -- Vanity Fair“One of the Hundred Most Important Women in America”-- The Ladies Home Journal“MVP” -- The American Association of Political Consultants

“Women had to fight first for the vote, and then for the right to be voted for. No one but no one has been more crucial to this on-going struggle than Ellen Malcolm...” -- Gloria Steinem

October 6, 2016 – This week's guest on REPORT FROM SANTA FE is Ellen Malcolm, political activist and author of When Women Win, EMILY’s List and the Rise of Women in American Politics.

As founder of EMILY’s List, Ellen R. Malcolm has helped level the political playing field for women candidates; given women donors unprecedented influence in electoral politics; brought millions of women voters to the polls; and created a powerful political movement.

An acronym for “Early Money Is Like Yeast” (because it “makes the dough rise”) EMILY’s List is a political network for Democratic women candidates that raises money to make women credible contenders, helps women build strong campaigns, and mobilizes women voters to go to the polls.

One of the largest political action committees in the country, EMILY’s List has over 4 million members and raised over $50 million for candidates or political programs during the current election cycle. Since its founding in 1985, EMILY’s List has helped elect 19 Democratic women U.S. senators, 110 U.S. representatives, 11 state governors, as well as over 700 holders of state and local office.

Malcolm has been called “One of America's Most Influential Women” by Vanity Fair, “One of the Hundred Most Important Women in America” by the Ladies Home Journal, and “MVP” by the American Association of Political Consultants.

Regarding WISH List – Republican Women In the Senate and House –“(A member) came to me and she said do you mind if I do this? And I said no. As a matter of fact I encourage you to do it. …On the Republican side when we began in doing house races Republican women were 5% of the Republicans in the house. They are now still under 10% so 9 out of 10 Republicans in congress are men. Women are not in the Republican caucus and it is a scandal. But I think it is very important for their party to have a representation of women and I think it would help them understand issues like women’s health better and I think it would help them be more responsive to what are the real issues that families are dealing with right now.”-- Ellen Malcolm