Female Sens. not common in U.S.

By Jeremy W. Peters

Daily Staff Reporter

If Debbie Stabenow wins her bid for U.S. Senate against Republican incumbent Spence Abraham she would find herself one of only a handful of women there.

Currently nine women are members of what has been called the "most exclusive gentleman's club in the world." Three are up for re-election this year and none are expected to lose their seats.

"It would be such an honor for me. I would be the first woman from Michigan ever elected to the U.S. Senate," said Stabenow, who is visiting campus tonight along with fellow Democrats Rep. Lynn Rivers and State Rep. Dianne Byrum to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the constitutional amendment enfranchising women.

Stabenow, along with First Lady Hillary Clinton, who is running for Daniel Patrick Moynihan's open seat in New York, and Democrat Maria Cartwell of Washington state are the three women who are running in the tightest races this year and are considered to have fairly good chance to win.

"We have had in the course of history of our nation, 1,850 senators and only 15 of them have been women elected in their own right," Stabenow said.

Stabenow, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 1997, is careful to point out that if elected senator, her perspective as a female will not be the only factor she uses to guide herself.

"It's not just about representing women," she said. "Coming to the Senate as a woman is about broadening the perspective. There are critical issues that touch all of our lives in so many ways and as a woman I could bring a different set of experiences that are important."

To her opponent, this election isn't about putting another woman in the Senate, it's about who can do a better job as a law maker.

"If you look at the simple positive accomplishments of Spence Abraham and Debbie Stabenow, what you see is that I've passed 21 bills into law and she's passed none. So if you look at it in terms of accomplishments, I'd win that campaign easily," Abraham said.

Ann Arbor's Lynn Rivers, who works with Stabenow in the House, said she wholeheartedly endorses her counterpart.

"We do need more women," Rivers said. "Women are 52 percent of the population and if we're going to have a representative government we need to have a government that reflects that."

On women's issues in particular, Stabenow said she hopes to remedy some problems she sees women facing today.

"What I want to do is take my experience in fighting for women's health care to the Senate," she said. "Equal pay is another issue. Right now in the state of Michigan it's still 70 cents on the dollar for what a woman earns versus what a man earns for the same kinds of responsibilities."

Stabenow's appeal is not limited only to women.

"She's been a major leader in the House," said Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn). "For example, with the Patients Bill of Rights ... in covering prescription drugs under Medicare the remarkable level of hard work and enthusiasm she brings to the legislative body is commendable."

Stabenow said she plans to focus on issues that relate to all members of the family.

"There are certainly specific (women's) issues, but in a broader sense, it's also important to me on issues of health care, education, the environment ... to bring these to the table," Stabenow said.