A website that popped up this month asks a question as its URL: arethereanywomenrunningforilgovernor.com. It then very simply answers it with a bright red "NO." A group of professional women in the state are behind the effort to draw attention to the issue.
Kady McFadden is the deputy director of the Illinois Sierra Club. She’s one of the people behind the site. She says the idea came up over dinner with several other women who also hold powerful positions. “It sort of felt like the elephant in the room that we needed to address - and the first thing we wanted to talk about before we could dive into the race itself. As colleagues - as female colleagues that work in politics, that care about issues in our state, it was one of the first things on our minds," says McFadden.
McFadden says fundraising is a big obstacle that stops some from running for office. She says she’ll ultimately support the Democratic nominee in the 2018 primary - regardless of gender. Illinois is one of 23 states that has never had a woman hold the top office.As someone who values being knowledgeable about Illinois, please support this public radio station by clicking on the, "Donate," button at the top of this page. If you're already a supporter, thank you!
