I still remember the numbers coming in election night 2016 as each state made their call who had one the state. First, it was Hillary winning a few, and then Trump would win a few. Overall, it was a night full of anxiety and frustration. Mainly frustration because, like many, I was not old enough to vote in the last presidential election. However, that little flame that sparked inside of me pushed me to major in Political Science and Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies.
Now, fast forward three years, I have voted early by mail in my first presidential election. I have been eagerly following along this campaign season since last year with the Democratic Party presidential debates. I still remember running to a friend’s apartment on a chilly night in 2019 so we could all huddle around to hear what the next potential president had to say. That was when I was first introduced to who Kristen Gillibrand is.
On Thursday, October 29, 2020, I was invited to attend a press conference with Senator Gillibrand through Her Campus. The event was sponsored by the Biden for President campaign. If you are unaware, Kristen Gillibrand is one of the many strong women who has a seat in Senate (D-NY). Gillibrand is very much committed to helping other women candidates win their races. Her political career tracks back to her position within the House of Representatives in 2006. However, like myself, Gillibrand felt a similar calling following the 2016 presidential election. As mentioned, she had run a presidential campaign last year but unfortunately withdrew from the race early on.
Throughout the entirety of the press conference, Gillibrand stressed that this election is “the most important of our lifetime” with issues of healthcare, the economy, and recovering from COVID-19 are the top issues on the ballot this year.
Here are just a few of the questions answered by Senator Gillibrand not just about this election, but as a woman on Capitol Hill:
“What has your experience been like? Do you have any advice for future senators?”
- Gillibrand: “When I ran in 2006, I believed in green energy policies and pulling the troops out of Iraq. I ran on progressive values in a rather conservative place. I now have the highest margin in the history of New York state. To any future public servants, run if you wanna run. It does not matter if it is a hard race to win. Sometimes you are the right person at the right moment.”
“What do you think should happen to make sure basic human rights among women and people of color are addressed and equalized, especially under a Biden-Harris administration?”
- Gillibrand: “We are in a society where institutional racism is real. This is what I focus on. This is certainly something that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris believe in. For instance, the maternal mortality rate for black women is four times higher compared to white women… this is due to institutional racism in our healthcare system. We must have access to capital everywhere. One of the ideas that I ran on and is shared by our nominees is using the Small Business Administrations and other lending programs to fund communities and business ideas that are often left behind. I also currently have a bill out right now for the next COVID relief package to do exactly that to make sure women-owned, minority-owned and rural owned can get access that they might’ve been left been.”
Gillibrand also believes in criminal justice reform, the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana and postal banking which are all shared with the Biden-Harris campaign.
“What would you like to see in the future of American healthcare? And how can a Biden-Harris ticket help us get there?”
- Gillibrand: “Healthcare is a right and not a privilege. For women, reproductive rights are a basic right and we should be allowed to make those decisions ourselves. I personally like a Medicare for all buy-in, 50+ eligibility for Medicare and I like a Medicaid for all. My job in the Senate then with the Biden-Harris ticket is to pass legislation that they will be inclined to sign to move these ideas of universal care to move forward.”
“How do you feel about first-time voter turnout in this election? Any advice?”
- Gillibrand: “I think they [first-time voters] are coming out in record numbers this year! A lot of young voters share certainly my values, similar values to Democratic running across the state and the values of Biden-Harris. That is the key to winning this election.”
“What steps can people take, especially young people, to be made politically engaged beyond voting? How can we keep momentum to make structurally change following the election?”
- Gillibrand: “It is so important to win. A lot of the structural change I am looking for is not possible without the Senate. We need to win the Senate to be able to pass all the legislation I have mentioned. Tell your friends to vote, make sure your family has a plan to vote – get in arguments. If you have family members that still support the president, you might want to question why. Everyone needs to be engaged in this process as it is your future and our democracy at stake.”
“How do you stay confident in a male-dominated field while still standing up for women and feminism? How do you still charge forward and stay true to yourself?”
- Gillibrand: “I follow my beliefs. Women have something to add and very good at finding common ground and reaching across the aisle. We need to value ourselves and what we have to offer which means constantly pushing back against misogyny, sexism, gender bias and hold people accountable. 77% of reporters are white men who focus on what they like. There is a lack of reporting on female issues. We must push down barriers to make it a leveled playing field so more of our children can see women in leadership roles. Someday we will have a women president! We need to invest in it now to teach the next generation that women are valuable.”
“What advice would you give to young women who aspire to success politicians?”
- Gillibrand: “Believe in yourself. Speak about what you want to change, and base that on where you end up running. For instance, if you want to check where the bus stop is, then focus on the local level. If you want to change foreign policy, run for Congress. Do not say you do not have enough experience because the guys certainly don’t do that. Run for what you want! Don’t sell yourself short.”
“Do you have any advice if your name gets dragged through the mud, digging up past things about you since that seems to be a part of the political process? Any advice?”
- Gillibrand: “I would listen to Shake It Off by Taylor Swift. There is nothing you can do about so who cares? I have a rule that 30% of people anywhere will not like you, and that is ok. You do not have to win everyone over but that 51% because you are meant to serve them. It is not about you, it’s about what you want to accomplish. If they say mean things, then who cares? You are there to help because all that hate is just noise.”
“What about the fear of rejection? How do you deal with that?”
- Gillibrand: “It’s not a rejection of you. It might be a choice of what people are focused on and what they want to be done. It is like a job interview because sometimes you get the job and sometimes you don’t, and sometimes it just isn’t the perfect fit. I was glad that I ran for president. Even though I lost, I learned so much about myself, strengthened my skills and met so many great people. If you lose though, you are most likely to win again.”