Rogers for State Senate 2016!

I know it's been a little while, but I wanted to give my gentlemen readers a chance to contemplate how their lives have been improved by the statements on the below poster. (See "I'm not a feminist, but...")

So I went to this awesome Women's Leadership Conference where I met a lot of cool people and felt a little bit like I was at summer camp - staying in the dorms at NDSU, but it was fun. Let me say too that I now finally understand what it meant by networking. I always thought before that networking was something scuzzy self-promoters in wing-tips did in bars with martini's in one hand and business cards in the other. That might be someone's version of networking, but I like my version better.

Networking is also when you meet someone and hear about what issures they're passionate about and think "hey, I should connect you with so-and-so." It's also when you meet a campaign manager for a candidate you support and say "I need a job in August! Do you have any long-term volunteer opportunites?" It is especially cool when networking can be a woman you met four days ago announcing she will run for office in her community and you say "can I make a campaign contribution." That's what made this conference different than summer camp. There was a real sense of mutual support among all the participants (which I've also experienced at summer camps) and with a higher purpose. I found myself quoting Arlo Guthrie's song Alice's Restruant from time to time.

"They'll say it's a movement. Because that's what it is."

I do find that business cards help.

I could say more about NEW Women's Leadership Institute but I'm hungry and I don't want to bore you with details of what I learned about public speaking, public policy, fundraising, campaigning, what it was like to hear Winona LaDuke speak (if you don't know who she is - when I voted for Nader, I voted for her for Vice President. Once.)

Instead I'll just say that this conference did make me think more seriously about seeking office one day - which I was already thinking about - but now it's not just the school board. It's the state legislature. As I put it to one person (you know who you are) Who do you want voting on issues in the state that affect your life? Me, or some other guy? So watch out state of Wisconsin and watch out friends or as I like to think of you - future campaign contributors!

Can I count on your vote in 2016?