DC WOMEN IN POLITICS CONGRATULATE MURIEL BOWSER FOR DEMOCRATIC MAYORAL PRIMARY VICTORY; AT-LARGE COUNCILMEMBER ANITA BONDS, WARD 3 COUNCILMEMBER MARY CHEH, AND WARD 1 COUNCILMEMBER BRIANNE NADEAU

April 3, 2014
Contact: Maria Ibañez
mcibanez@juno.com

--DCWIP URGE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PRIORITIZE WOMEN’S ISSUES--

Washington, DC --DC Women in Politics (DCWIP) congratulates Muriel Bowser on winning the April 1 Democratic nomination for Mayor of the District of Columbia. Bowser is the second woman in history to win the Democratic Mayoral primary. DCWIP attributes Bowser’s victory to the support of women voters. DCWIP is a diverse nonpartisan, nonprofit women’s leadership organization whose mission is to increase the number of women elected to public office. DCWIP also congratulates At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds’ nomination to a second term, Ward Three Councilmember Mary Cheh, and newly elected Ward One Councilmember Brianne Nadeau.

Through informal observations from DCWIP members at the polls yesterday, 60 percent of the voters were women despite the low voter turnout. DCWIP’s mandate, “When women vote, women win” was evident on April 1 and validated by the victory of Bowser, Bonds and Nadeau. Anita Bellamy Shelton, President of DCWIP, commented that “52 percent of the DC population looks forward to Bowser fostering policies, programs and budgets that will address key women's issues.”

DC WIP members will urge Bowser, Bonds, Cheh, and Nadeau to campaign more vigorously on women’s issues including:  economic and wage equity; targeted programs for girls in DC Public Schools to include Title IX compliance; programs to encourage careers in technical, science, and nontraditional occupations; improving the quality of infant/childcare for all working women who are forced to pay a disproportionate measure of their income for care; significantly eliminate poverty among homeless women and children and persons receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits; aggressive government efforts  to address sexual assault and domestic violence; implement an accelerated program to promote women's health issues and help reduce the high rate of heart disease, breast, uterine and ovarian cancer among DC women.

DCWIP is committed to working with Bowser and the other elected officials on addressing these pressing issues that significantly impact women in DC and will hold them accountable to ensure that they take action.

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DC Women in Politics is a diverse nonpartisan, nonprofit women’s leadership organization. Our mission is to increase the number of women elected to public office and to monitor their leg islative and advocacy actions on issues that impact women and families. For more information about DC Women in Politics visit www.dcwomeninpolitics.org. Follow DCWIP on Twitter @dcwomen_politcs,  and  on  Facebook  at:  DCWomenInPolitics.