The Fab Five :: Essays Papers

The Fab Five Women of Today in Arizona Politics The women of the state of Arizona have always played a significant role in politics. Before most women even had the right to vote, two women from Arizona, Frances Munds and Rachel Berry, were the first women elected into the state legislature. Today, Arizona has the highest percentage of women in the state legislature. More impressive is the fact that Arizona is the first state ever to have an all-female elected line of succession. There is no doubt that these five women greatly contributed to making 1997 the "Year of the Woman," where there was a dramatic increase in women's representation in the House and Senate. Why women in Arizona have flourished in the political arena and continue to do so is a question our group will try to answer in our research. More specifically, I will discuss women in current Arizona politics. In reviewing the role of women in current politics today, I will discuss the reasons as to why women have such strong political power in the state of Arizona, a nd the difference, between the views of voters in Arizona and other states. I will also discuss not only the future of women in Arizona politics but the future of women in national politics as well, and what to expect as the new millenium approaches. It is no coincidence that Arizona’s five highest offices are held by women. These women, Governor Jane Hull, Secretary of State Betsey Bayless, Attorney General Janet Napolitano, Treasurer Carol Springer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Keegan, did not simply win these elections because they are women. All of them are experienced, highly educated, intelligent people who worked hard to get to the top. In an interview, Council Member Janet Marcus stated that these women have outstanding experience and background, and though being women may have helped them, it is their credentials that won the elections. The five women elected agree that it was not an issue of gender but rather of who was most qualified for the job. Lisa Graham Keegan was actually pleased at the small attention given to the gender issues. She said, â€Å"It really wasn’t about voting for women. It just happened that these women ran for office and won† (Khoury 2). Governor Hull ag reed with Keegan, â€Å"You see a group of women who have all been in government, are all experienced, who all ran very positive campaigns.