Blair hosting Democratic women during annual state convention
By Jessica VanderKolk, jvanderkolk@altoonamirror.comArticle Photos
Democratic women holding elected positions throughout the region faced challenges to get there, including family already active in the Democratic Party, popular opponents and a society with expectations of male elected officials.
"My brother has been active in the Democratic Party for years," said Connie Kough Pittenger, newly elected Huntingdon County commissioner. "The challenge for me was to really have people understand I was running as Connie Kough Pittenger, not as a mouthpiece for my brother."
A panel of four women in county government spoke to Democratic women from across the state Saturday as part of the Pennsylvania Federation of Democratic Women convention, which began Thursday and ends today.
Women gathered for the 81st annual convention at the Ramada Altoona Conference Center, the event's first time in Altoona since 1944.
Blair County's Federation of Democratic Women, restarted in 2006 by Jo Ann Nardelli, hosted the event.
Pittenger and other county officials encouraged some of the 150 convention attendees to "just do it" and run for office.
Quitting her job was the greatest challenge for Somerset County Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes.
After 11 years in radio, she quit a newspaper job after just seven months.
"As a journalist, I could not be involved in the political process," she said. "That first campaign was probably my best because it really tested me against myself."
In her third term as Cambria County clerk of courts, Susan Kuhar continued in her full-time job during her first campaign, attending every church event and spaghetti dinner she could.
"You name it, I was there, every single day," she said. "I went out there and did it, and got elected."
When Donna Gority, Blair County's first female county commissioner, ran for office in 1983, she received a newspaper questionnaire from Johnstown, typical for election candidates.
"The particular form I was filling out asked what my wife's name was," she said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Gority saw her other challenge in educating a population that mostly did not know a county commissioner's responsibilities.
She ran advertisements about the county election board, human services and commissioners as community leaders to inform voters and spread her message.
"I tried to turn a challenge into an opportunity, and it worked," she said.
Peg Kerwin, a member of the Harrisburg-area Tri County Federation of Democratic Women's Club, said the members of the group serve as role models to young women who may hesitate to run for office because of family or household duties.
"Women have always been involved, but the focus is never on them," she said. "There are some role models, but people either don't pursue it or don't act. But we see a lot of promise today."
Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll continued the sentiment during a luncheon speech Saturday, surrounded by red, white and blue festoons and American flags, praising Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton's recently ended campaign but telling the crowd to "get over it" and support presumptive nominee Barack Obama.
"The door is forever open for women, and all citizens, who want to compete for the highest office in the land," she said. "That door is not only opened, it's been taken off its hinges and removed."
Mirror Staff Writer Jessica VanderKolk is at 946-7465.
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06-22-08 10:54 PM
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I have been a Democrat for over 46 years and a Union Member for over 42 years and for the past 8 years I can not see where the Democratic Party has done anything for us. I am done with them.
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Chuxspringer
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06-22-08 8:34 AM
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Last time a county, Somerset, hosted the democrats, the bills never got paid. They stuck several bars and restaurants.
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