Run For Office

Endorsements

Women Winning is often a candidate’s first endorsement, acting as a powerful validator and ushering in additional support.

• Do you support candidates from specific geographic areas?

  Women Winning supports pro-choice women running for federal, state, and local office across Minnesota.

• For what levels of office does Women Winning make endorsements?

  Women Winning endorses pro-choice women candidates for federal, state, and local offices, including U.S. Congress, Minnesota Constitutional Offices (Governor, Attorney General, etc.), Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives, County Board, Mayor, City Council, School Board, and Park Board. Women Winning does not make endorsements in judicial races.

• Does party affiliation matter?

  Women Winning supports pro-choice women of all political parties.

• What are you looking for in an endorsed candidate?

  We’re looking for determined, pro-choice women candidates who:

  • Are committed to Women Winning’s mission to encourage, promote, support, and elect pro-choice women of all political parties to all levels of public office.
  • Support comprehensive, age-appropriate, medically accurate sexuality education, including information about both abstinence and contraception.
  • Support access to emergency contraception, as well as family planning initiatives to prevent unintended pregnancies.
  • Support a woman’s constitutionally protected right to obtain medically safe, legal, and accessible abortion.

  When making endorsement decisions, Women Winning also considers the strength of a candidate’s campaign and her path to victory. This can include the candidate’s ability to conduct a rigorous, professional, and winning campaign in her ward or district; earn endorsements from opinion leaders and organizations and build community support; hire talented staff who can write and execute a plan to win at all stages of the campaign; and raise the necessary funds to execute a winning campaign plan.

• What does a Women Winning endorsement include?

  As one of Minnesota’s largest and most influential political organizations, Women Winning’s endorsement is a powerful validator and often ushers in additional support. Our endorsement includes strategic campaign guidance, and potential grassroots organizing support and financial contributions.

• What is the endorsement process like?

  Endorsement decisions are made by Women Winning’s Board of Directors. Our State, Federal, and Joint PACs conduct screenings and make endorsement recommendations to the Board of Directors. State and local candidates apply for endorsement consideration from the State PAC, while Federal candidates apply for endorsement consideration from the Federal PAC. The Federal and State PAC meet jointly to consider endorsement in Constitutional races.

• What if multiple pro-choice women run for the same seat?

  Women Winning endorses only one pro-choice woman per seat. When more than one pro-choice woman seeks our endorsement, we may invite candidates to participate in a screening for the relevant PAC to assess each candidate based on our endorsement criteria, grounded in a candidate’s path to victory. Women Winning may also choose to not consider endorsement or not to endorse after consideration.

• How do I apply for Women Winning’s endorsement?

  If you are interested in applying for Women Winning’s endorsement, please contact us for information about the application and screening process by emailing [email protected].