Jennie Sweet-Cushman: Women are worthy of your votes

This week, America watched while Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson faced the Senate Judiciary Committee’s questioning in a confirmation hearing that could lead to her being named the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Jackson brings with her a wealth of judicial experience, having served as both a circuit and district court judge, as a clerk for the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, and as an editor at the prestigious Harvard Law Review — all the credentials befitting an associate justice of our nation’s highest court. Indeed, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., seemed surprised to note that he found her “very intelligent and very articulate.”

Of course she is, Senator Kennedy. Women (and especially women of color) often have to be much more qualified than men in order to achieve the same status. As my fellow political scientists have pointed out, voters frequently evaluate female candidates as better than male candidates, but this more complimentary evaluation doesn’t result in greater support for them at the ballot box. Essentially, we recognize that women are talented, but they have to work harder and longer to get where men get with much less effort.

We need not look further than a number of races here in Pittsburgh to see the same phenomenon unfolding. For example, a few weeks ago, I got a typical fundraising call from a woman running for a state legislative seat in Allegheny County. She has all the educational, career and political experience you’d expect from a candidate at this level and was able to talk in great detail about her motivations to run for office and her policy platform. She really has it all, including, she told me, a primary challenger — a male college student with no political or professional experience. Women are much more likely than men to have primary challenges when they run.

Meanwhile, in the primary to replace U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, the woman with seemingly the most robust campaign organization, fundraising that has been called “blistering,” the most obvious political experience, and the endorsement of progressive standard bearer Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., draws multiple challengers with less sparkling qualifications. At least one of these challengers seems to struggle with the basics of campaign management, like gathering legitimate and authentic signatures.

And perhaps most poignantly, state Rep. Emily Kinkead, D-North Side, a progressive woman who bucked the trends in 2020 and beat a do-nothing (male) incumbent, recently drew a primary challenge from 65-year-old political novice and sandwich shop owner Nick Mastros. When, upon entering the race, Mastros was asked about his platform, he replied “I can’t right now, you know, right off the top of my head tell you that what I’m for and what I’m against.” Meanwhile, Kinkead, who could definitely tell you what she’s for and what she’s against, has leveraged her experience as an attorney to earn important committee assignments in the Legislature and has brought millions of dollars to her district.

But of course, Pittsburgh political players will see the stark differences between these women and their lesser qualified challengers, right? I’ve seen this movie before, and it starred powerful, connected and resourced men who endorse the lesser-qualified men in these races and encourage committee members to do the same. And, predictably, the same script is playing out in 2022.

Unfortunately, there is more at stake than just an unfair or, dare I say, misogynistic and sometimes racist posturing leading up to Election Day. Our region actually stands to benefit from choosing the more qualified and skilled candidates in these (and other races). Research has repeatedly shown that elected women have the potential to be more effective leaders in time of crisis, are more effective legislators, bring more money to their districts, and in Pennsylvania, work more collaboratively and pass more legislation.

Despite the persistent resistance that women who run for political office in Pittsburgh face, I am hopeful that voters are actually smart enough to see past the bias and let the best man win, even if the best “man” is a woman. And, like Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said to an enraptured hearing room about Jackson, “But don’t worry, my sister. Don’t worry. God has got you. And how do I know that? You’re here, and I know what it’s taken for you to sit in that seat. You have earned this spot, you are worthy. You are a great American.”

This May, the primary ballot is going to have women who earned their spot, who are worthy, who are great Americans. Pittsburgh should reward them with their votes.

Jennie Sweet-Cushman is a political science professor at Chatham University.