OPINION:
There’s a stereotype that if you’re a woman in politics you must be a radical feminist who votes a certain way, supports certain marches and fights for certain so-called “reproductive rights.” As a woman and chair of the Republican National Committee, I reject this narrative. As we celebrate Women’s History Month this March, millions of Republican women all over America and I have a message for the radical left: You do not speak for us.
The left claims to champion powerful, independent women. But the truth is, they’re only on the side of Democrats who dutifully parrot the party platform. Conservative women who dare to think for themselves and stand up for their beliefs — like the right to life, protection of women and girls’ spaces and sports, and parental involvement in our kids’ education — are blasted as traitors to our sex. This is narrow-minded and insulting, but the opposition has made us stronger.
Just look at the impressive strides Republican women have made in recent election cycles. Two years ago, Americans elected a record number of Republican women to Congress, prompting pundits to label 2020 the “Year of the Republican Woman.” Republican women are serving faithfully as lieutenant governor in eight states and governor in three states, with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds even giving the Republican response to President Biden’s State of the Union last week. And with 267 women filed to run at the federal level this cycle, we’re well on the way to electing more.
Each of these women is proof that Democrats don’t have a monopoly on the female vote. These ladies are smart and savvy. They’re patriotic, family-oriented and hardworking. They got involved in politics because they want to make a difference in their communities and care about their families.
There’s no better example of this than the showdown with far-left school boards over the past year. The left’s radical propaganda, school shutdowns, mask mandates and condescending attitude toward parents has awakened moms. From coast to coast, regular moms are taking back their children’s education from agenda-driven activists. They’re speaking up at school board meetings. They’re organizing recall elections of extremist board members. And they’re even running for office themselves.
Clearly, Democrats feel threatened. That’s why officials at Loudoun County, Virginia’s school board formed a private Facebook group to target troublesome parents. The Biden administration directed the FBI to create a “threat tag” to track concerned parents, even though the agency previously denied deploying these tools which are normally used to target domestic terrorists. But these parents are undeterred. Their kids are on the line. Their message is clear: Don’t mess with moms.
It was this energy that turned Virginia red last November, allowing Republicans to take back to the state House and sweep all three elections for statewide office. That included Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears, the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor in the history of Virginia. And it’s that same energy that will carry us to victory this fall.
Our country is blessed with a rich history of patriotic, Republican women like Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress; Clare Boothe Luce, a trailblazer for Republican women in politics; and Mary Louise Smith, the first female RNC chair. Today, we continue that legacy. There’s never been a better time or place to be a woman than America in 2022. Far from oppressed or marginalized, we enjoy unprecedented influence and opportunities — including in politics. Republican women are the heels-on-the-ground of the conservative movement. And we’ll be the special interest group Democrats wish they had on their side come Election Day.
• Ronna McDaniel is the chair of the Republican National Committee.
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