Maybe today would be a good day to do something we rarely do: thank the people who dare to run for public office. I stipulate this may not be a popular notion but hear me out. Think about how willing you would be to have to wear protective vests while you make speeches, to be the focus of personal attacks and accusations while reporters paw through your finances.   School board and city council members, mayors, state and federal lawmakers and, yes, presidents, give up a lot to do the work we need them to do. I have known a fair number of public officials in my life, and I find most to be honorable, hard-working and even idealistic people who are not in office to make money or grab power. 

I researched how many of today’s state lawmakers are women with children. The number is 5.3%. If we want legislatures that are more attuned to the needs of everyday people, wouldn’t that start with getting more everyday people in legislatures?   

This week’s elections have resulted in more state legislatures being ruled by the party that also controls the governor’s mansion. One-party rule is becoming more common in state governments. Why do voters reject that for Washington but embrace it at the state level?

Hundreds of openly LGBTQ candidates running in the midterms this year won their elections Tuesday evening in a night full of political firsts for the community. I also will walk you through this week’s results on other key issues including legalizing marijuana, making forced prison labor illegal and spelling out abortion rights in some state constitutions. In short, more states allowed pot possession, more banned forced prison labor and more upheld abortion rights.