Photo: Courtesy of Sheena Kadi
“We were all in it together,” Jessie Danielson, a state representative who brought her toddler daughter on the campaign trail, tells PEOPLE. The wins, she says, were “pretty amazing.”
Faith Winter, a state representative who beat out a Republican incumbent for her Senate win, worked with Danielson years ago at Emerge Colorado, a group that finds and trains women candidates to run for local and state office.
“Essentially she was my boss,” says Winter. “She and I have been friends and colleagues for a long time as well.”
Jessie Danielson and daughter Isabella.Courtesy of Jessie Danielson
When Winter came forward withallegations of sexual harrassmentagainst fellow state representative Steve Lebsock, who wasexpelled from the legislaturein March, Danielson’s support to move the expulsion vote forward was significant. (Lebsock has denied the allegations, but an independent investigation deemed them credible, according toUSA Today’s Coloradoan.com.)
Brittany Pettersen, left, and Faith Winter on election night.Courtesy of Ian Silverii
“On the day of the vote for expulsion, we didn’t have the votes,” says Winter. All three of the top house leadership positions were women, including Danielson.
“We had to at least try to get justice,” Winter says, “and we had to try and show women that they are believed and that we would change the culture.”
Winter was a bridesmaid in theAugust 2017 weddingof her fellow state representative Brittany Pettersen, who also won her Senate race.
It was Pettersen whom Winter first called (after talking to her husband) when she decided to go public with her allegations against Lebsock.
“She knew I was scared to use my office during that time,” says Winter. “She was there for all of my concerns.”
From left: Tammy Story, Faith Winter, Brittany Pettersen, Jessie Danielson and Julie Gonzales on election night.Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty
“Through the campaign, the five of us were very supportive of each other,” says Winter. “We had several text chains where we would check in with one another and see how we were doing.”
“If a particularly bad ad or piece of mail came out,” Winter continues, “we would reassure each other on the text chain, ‘Have you seen the mail? It’s so awful, how are you doing?’ ”
Kerry Donovan, the fifth woman of the group, won re-election to her Senate seat.
Catherine Vaughan, the CEO and co-founder of the progressive election groupFlippablesupported Winter, Story and Danielson in their races.
Vaughan notes the importance of state-level races with their effect on election rules (such as gerrymandering and the recently tightened voter ID rules), much of education, and access to health care such as Medicaid.
“I am so excited about what is happening in Colorado,” Vaughan says.
Collectively, these women — whom Vaughan calls “The Fab Five” — are known for championing paid family leave, equal pay, public education, the environment and battling the opioid crisis.
They are also serving as role models for a new generation of working moms.
“I had to take my daughter on the floor (of the House) a lot, we work long hours,” says Danielson. “She ended up being fairly front and center of the campaign because the kind of Colorado we want is for her.
“I’ve had a number of younger women come to me and say to me, ‘I see you can do it, now I feel I can do it too,'” she says, “they see you can run for office and have a family.”
source: people.com
