Hillary Clinton making history, local mayors react

History was made Thursday night as Hillary Clinton accepted the Democratic Presidential Nomination. The former First Lady is the first woman to head a major party ticket.

Thirty years ago, this wasn’t thought of as a real possibility: a woman coming this close to becoming President of the United States.

“She’s broken barriers for everybody, that, I just couldn’t be more proud of,” said long-time civil rights activist Anne Voillequ.

And regardless of party lines and political stances, women are proud she is making history.

“Hillary Clinton does not represent the party that I am affiliated with, but with that said, I was very very proud of her last night. In my lifetime, we get to see that last glass ceiling – that barrier – broken, and that means the sky is the limit. She said that last night, in fact, ‘When there are no glass ceilings, the sky is the limit.’ That means that my daughters have no limits. And it’s about darn time,” said Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper.

“Regardless of how you feel, I just look at my two daughters who are watching this election process. I have a daughter who is 19 who will be voting in her first presidential election, and I’ve got to think that this says to her: first of all, that your opinion matters. Second of all, any contribution you want to make is accepted. Third, the sky is the limit,” said Ammon Mayor Dana Kirkham.

Although 51 percent of the United States population is female, they represent less than 25 percent in different elected offices.

Mayor Casper also explained data shows that women in office tend to be more collaborative in how they solve problems, and are more willing to seek bipartisan outcomes in the name of effective policy making.

“You know, there are no words to say what this will mean for the country, and particularly for the women’s movement,” said Voillequ. “The more women we have at the national level serving, who maybe are bringing this different governing approach, we may be better prepared to solve the problems of the 21st century that face us,” said Mayor Casper

Clinton was formally nominated on the second evening of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, and officially accepted Thursday night. This comes more than nine years after launching her first presidential bid.

For more facts on women in politics, visit http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/