State Treasurer Lynn Fitch is launching a new program this fall, Women’s Initiative Network for Republicans (WIN-R), to help train women who are interested in running for office at some level in the state.
Only 14.9% of Mississippi state legislators are female and there have only been 4 statewide women elected officials. U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith was the first woman Mississippi has ever sent to Washington.
Lucien Smith, Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, said we have a history of female leadership in the party and female republicans helping to lead the state so this is just an initiative to help make sure women who are interested in seeking office have the tools they need to be successful.
“We’ve got a long history in the republican party of promoting women,” said Smith. “Not because they’re women, but because they’re the right person.”
Applications for WIN-R are due on July 15th and and applicants will be notified of acceptance by July 20th. They hope to have 30-35 women participate and Treasurer Fitch has offered to pay the $40 acceptance fee for all participants this year.
There will be three, four hour training sessions held at MSGOP HQ on August 21st, September 18th and October 16th.
Session 1 will cover basic campaign organization, grassroots organization and decision to run.
Session 2 will cover data/digital, fundraising, campaign finance, legal and social media.
Session 3 will cover public relations, press, basic public speaking and their graduation.
“With more women in elected office, we increase the breadth and depth of important policy debates. As the party that promotes equality of opportunity, republican women have to be a part of that equation,” said Fitch. “WIN-R will expose republican women to the training and resources they need to run effective campaigns and will help them grow the network of support the leads to success at the ballot box.”
For the application click here- WIN-R application.
