The first question, all politicians are always asked is, "why are you running?" A very simple question - with a simple answer and a very long answer. The simple answer is I like to help others and to be in elected office gives me the opportunity to help many people. But when you think about who I am then the question is why am I running?
In my case, I've always been interested in politics; I was fortunate enough to have a relative who worked at the US Capitol when I was growing up and so I was able to see the Congress up close and personal at a very young age. But that alone wouldn't have been enough to get me interested into politics. My great uncle was not political. OK he had to be political to want to work at the Capitol. But I would not consider politics, genetic. Also, not too many 10 year olds received the Congressional Record, and read it.
I think many of us get into politics because we have opinions, we want to see things better for many people, and politicians are doers. Some people do not need to be pushed into politics, and others have to be shoved. I'll say I had to be shoved.
Without having become the true me I never would've gotten into politics. I think has to do with the freedom that comes with not having to be someone I'm not. And at that time. It was the beginning of the 2004 election cycle, and I did not want to see President 43 remain in office. His presidency was bad for not only all Americans and the world, in particular it was very bad for GLBT people. That's when I decided become active in current politics.
I started out by joining the JeffCo Dems GLBT Caucus. Then during the campaign of 2004 I did what I could to help at the JeffCo Dems headquarters for various candidates at the state level and the Kerry campaign. I had a lot of fun. I enjoyed meeting politicians and talking to them. Being involved in party politics at the local level or county level. Taught me so much about politics.
During that year, many people saw more in me than I saw in myself. I was asked to join the board of Equal Rights Colorado. Which was great. On the board I got to help legislators draft GLBT legislation, promote/lobby for legislation, and educate others about GLBT legislation. I've met many important politicians and leaders and enjoyed politics, even more than before. I also met my first outright bigots.
Again, many people saw more in me that I saw myself. I was being asked, and sometimes told that I should run for office. I did not take them seriously. I could not imagine a transgender person in Colorado running for office. And I seriously did not consider myself a politician. However, one night after a political event, a friend and I went out to a local brewery to talk. We spent quite a while talking politics, and finally she said. "Pam, you have to run for office. I don't care if it's for city Council. You must run for office." I said yes.
The next day I was sitting on one of the benches on the floor of the Colorado House and realized there were very few GLBT people who are viable candidates and who could win an election at any level in the state. I decided I would try at that point. Thus began my work to become an elected official.
I knew there were very few transgender politicians in the country and the world. And even the number attempting to be elected was very small. To my mind that made it a challenge, a great challenge. I like challenges, especially challenges when I am told that I would not succeed (that came from some "important political" types).
How politicians get into active elected politics varies so much there is no one definitive path. Some jump right in running because they are PO’d at the current officeholder or situation. Others work their way through the process. The results are the same, running for elected office, or working on a campaign.
Focusing in on GLBT people in politics shows a reason why Tip O’Neil said "All politics is local". He was explaining the actions of Congress yet he was also saying that the local issues are where things start. You cannot guess where GLBT people will be elected anymore. I did have Tip’s saying in mind when I started thinking about running.
The big reason I did not run for office was because I believed nobody would vote for a "big Blonde" me. As a transgender person I knew then and still know there are significant problems for being "out". I also did not believe enough people would vote for me leaving me just another transperson who ran for office. I knew running for office would take a lot of planning and hard work.
One of the reasons I tell GLBT people to work in their county political office is to build a network of friends and supporters. If I had not spent a couple of years working on campaigns for candidates and issues I would never have the number of supporters and friends that I do.
After deciding, with the support and love of several people, I had to choose which office to run for. As the rumour of me running for office spread, so did the number of people offering me suggestions on which office. It ranged from county commissioner, discarded after realizing I would need Tim Gill’s help to get into the gated communities, to state level representative or senator.
While deciding which office to run for I attended the first and one of the top two candidate trainings of my life. Victory Fund Leadership Institute. Nothing like 15 Type A candidates and managers in one room to learn about oneself. I fit in. I realized when I checked in there was a lot of skepticism about me running for office; but that was gone by time the course ended on Sunday.
On the plane ride home I knew that I had to prove to myself first that I could win. I also had to prove that I could win to everybody else in the world. I also knew now that I do something other politicians did not have to do; that was to would have to prove myself every step of the way. Not once or twice, but all the time. And importantly I decided to run for Aurora, Colorado City Council At-large. A very big challenge for anybody; especially so for a transgender person.
Most of my first campaign was standard political campaigning. Put together a kitchen cabinet (or as I prefer a kitchen closet). Start fundraising, put together a staff and volunteers. It was not as easy as the state level races I had been involved in. Municipal races are the odd year, nobody is interested, in races. But I had one thing on my side I could draw media. It was going to be earned media that would get me the seat.
After analyzing the races run by transgender people during the last couple of election cycles, mostly loses with a couple of wins, I knew what I had to do. Ignore CW and out myself immediately and for many months before going silent. I knew I would be a sensational story, I was running for office in the 3rd largest city in Colorado; the 57th largest city in the U.S., same size as Pittsburg and larger then Newark, N.J. Plus I knew I gave a good story to reporters. By putting it all out in the media and leaving nothing to anybody’s imagination I could get over the "Pam Bennett transgender politician" to a "Pam Bennett issue, issue, issue".
It worked but I got a lot of my own party upset. I was in the media locally, nationally and internationally week, after week, after week. I also got name recognition with my voters.
Importantly I went silent in July. No interviews, no press releases. The results were what I wanted. The first and most of the following interviews were "Pam Bennett, candidate Aurora City Council At-large, issue, Pam is transgender, issue, issue".
During this time I had to overcome my internal feelings that I was not the type of person to be a role model for so many people around the world. I was receiving e-mails and letters from many people telling me how I had changed their lives and in more than a couple cases my running gave them a reason to live.
I also did not comprehend what my running for office meant to others. Being a candidate and public figure meant I was somehow different than the rest of the population. Many people think of politicians as populating a higher position in society than others. I know I was taught that, but I never considered myself that way. I am still the same person I was before filing my paperwork to run. I like to get grimy and greasy working on my Bronco or Ranchero. This status level thing is something I am still learning to accept. I am an American and ALL Americans are equal.
I knew I was a leader. I like leading while trying to find solutions to problems. But coming to grips at what I was doing as a role model was difficult at first. Finally, I started to realize that I was doing something very important and I could do it. I was also the only "T" person in this time who could do it. I could break the myths and ignorance about being transgender thereby allowing others an opportunity to have a role model.
As time went by I grew into my new life as a public figure and a role model. Although I was always comfortable doing interviews, once I became comfortable as a role model I was able to more easily include my previous life in how I was. I no longer needed to hold back the knowledge, training and experiences I owned. Now I use all my skills to lead.
The results of my first campaign are available at the Aurora City Clerk’s website. I came in a tight third in a five person race for two at-large seats. I ran against two popular incumbents. I proved to myself and many others I could win, and I did it by going to my voters and talking to them at their homes and community forums. They voted for me because I was going to represent them when I was on the Aurora City Council.
While that race was finishing I learned what the true impact on the local GLBT people I was having. I had many men and women come up to me to tell me they outted themselves to their families, friends and neighbors because if I could be out and running for office the least they could do was to be out in their own way. I had a transgender couple join me on my campaign too.
But something more important was becoming apparent. There were no other GLBT candidates, especially "T" following me. I figure the G&L people would find at least one candidate for some office. But, it has been the complete lack of transgender people getting into politics, on the path to elected office that has been my biggest concern.
A couple weeks ago I gave a presentation at Colorado Gender Identity Center’s Gold Rush. I was recruiting "T" people to run for office and join campaign staff. It was good; one person has decided to run for office in the future, but in the mean time work on campaigns to gain experience. A couple others are going to join candidate campaigns.
But, I need someone here in Colorado to follow me. The doors and barriers I am breaking through and down will rise sometime after me if there is no one running for office soon. This is true anywhere in our country.
This year is my second run for Aurora City Council At-Large. I learned a lot from my first run, as all politicians do. The citizens of Aurora have had the economic depression/recession (it’s a recession if your neighbor is out of work, it’s a depression if you are out of work) hurt them very much. The city is having to cut millions of spending from the budget due to the horrible economy; Aurora depends on sales tax and developers fee’s for much of its income. There is almost no development now, and sales taxes have fallen tremendously. (You have to wonder why anybody would want to be in elected office right now)
I want to lead Aurora in our second century as my city changes from a developer’s paradise to a business and jobs orientated city. My opponents include former city council members, I just realized all my opponents are either current or former city council members. Wow. I have a lot more work to do to overcome that advantage they have.
Some very nice things have happened since I became a candidate for public office. I have met some of the nicest people in the world. People in politics, people who are allies, people who just want to be friends, and people who want to learn more about GLBT communities and especially the transgender community.
I was asked to join the National Association of Black Veterans. A great veterans service organization dedicated to helping vets and their families. I am proud to promote NABVETS for all veterans, including recently discharged or having served in WWII or any time in between.
One thing I learned that is a critical lesson in politics. You have to have money to win. The campaign that wins on a shoestring is really the exception. I need to raise $75,000 in the next month to win this election. Printing costs, postage costs, phone bills, volunteer water and meals, office rental, web costs, and much more make it imperative that I raise that money. I have learned not to be shy about asking everybody for a check – $10, $25, $50, $250 . . . $25,000 (max).
My website is Pam Bennett for Aurora dot com. There I have issues and other campaign information including my click to donate button.
Here are a couple of links to articles:
Newsweek: Making a Difference
5280: Profile: The Girl Next Door
Denver News7: Transgender Woman Runs for Office
Update: Thank you for the Rec list! Wonderful feeling.
Update 2: It is important to point out that most national organizations do not have support capability for municipal races. Victory Fund is an exception. So supporting your local candidates means a lot to them and you.