Tough talk, tough women
“The Badasses” of the new House bonded on the campaign trail.
When she was at the United States Naval Academy learning to fly helicopters, Mikie Sherrill dreaded the dunker drill.
To prepare its officers for anything, the Academy would strap Sherrill and other trainees into a makeshift helicopter, drop them into a tank of water, turn the helicopter upside down and give them an order: Prove you can get out before you drown.
Once trainees mastered that task, the Academy threw in another wrinkle. They had to escape blindfolded.
So on the campaign trail the last few months, as she worked to convince voters she was the best candidate to represent New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, Sherrill was frequently reminded of her resilience anytime she hit a snag in her election or had a rough day. And typically, that reminder came in the form of a text message, usually from another female service candidate.
This month, more than 100 women were elected to the House of Representatives. That historic number includes a handful of female veterans and other service candidates, many of whom befriended each other on the campaign trail, fundraised together and ultimately dubbed themselves “The Badasses,” creating a group text where they went to bond, compare strategies, share funny photos and vent. The women, all Democrats, plan to extend that support to one another in Washington, where they hope to push each other through bad days at work and early-morning bootcamp workouts.
The group text was not the place to go if you were looking for sympathy, however.
“Especially those last two weeks, when you’re getting down to the wire and the intensity of the campaign is heating up and maybe you’re starting to have doubts, if you voice those, this group was very much in the spirit of, ‘Drop and give me 20!’ ” said Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and member of the Badasses who won her bid for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. “It was all about, ‘Get your s--- together, stand up straight and move out.’ ”
That tone worked, Slotkin said, because these women had already proved they thrived in challenging environments and could handle tough talk. In fact, they often responded better to it.
On election night, the Military Times tracked 173 veterans running for office, including 14 women.
“The Badasses” shared a background of service but also had experience in putting country before party, a critical talking point when trying to attract voters. “I don’t necessarily distinguish female and veteran,” said newly elected Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, R-Pa. “But I think females and veterans bring something similar, which is a sense of teamwork and collaboration, which is lacking in government right now.”
Maybe, she added with a laugh, you get some sort of super candidate if you put those two labels together.