When U.S. Senator George Voinovich announced he was not going to seek re-election in 2010, the Democratic powers at be in Ohio lined up one of their own to seek the party’s nomination.  Governor Ted Strickland endorsed his Lt. Governor, Lee Fischer pronouncing him as “the most qualified” Democrat.  But not so fast, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner saw it as an opportunity to change the course for America.

“When was the last time a woman was viable enough in Ohio to compete for the U.S. Senate?” asked Jennifer Brunner.  “If I don’t do this now we don’t know when a woman might have a real chance to win a senate seat.”  Brunner boasts an impressive resume and has been a champion for fair and legal elections for nearly 20 years.  Brunner is an attorney and has worked both in state government and in private practice with her husband of 30 years. 

Jennifer Brunner began legal her career working in the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office under the Sherrod Brown administration.  She worked with the Attorney General to improve fairness, openness and accountability in campaign finance and election law.  After spending the next 12 years in private practice focusing on election law, Brunner ran for Franklin County Common Pleas Court and was elected in 2000 in a largely conservative district, unseating a gubernatorial appointee.  She was re-elected in 2002 and served as judge in that capacity until 2006.

On the heels of Ohio’s 2004 election troubles, Judge Brunner ran for Secretary of State, the state’s highest election official in 2006 and became the first woman to hold the office by winning with 55% of the votes after 16 years of Republican control.  She immediately implemented new procedures to overhaul Ohio’s elections by spearheading a massive voting machines study and improving operations at the troubled Cuyahoga County.  As a result, the 2008 elections went smoothly despite record numbers of voters. 

Recognized for her efforts in election reform, Jennifer Brunner was the recipient of John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage award following the 2008 elections.  “I was honored and humbled to have received this significant and meaningful award,” said Brunner. It was with gratefulness that I accepted the award, trying to comprehend that from difficult work often filled with emotionally charged controversy and strife, can emerge honor and dignity in the attempt to move forward the human causes of fairness, equality and respect.”

Brunner will need all the courage she can muster in her endeavor to become Ohio’s first woman U.S. Senator.  Currently there are just 17 women in the U.S. Senate and Ohio has five women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Republican Nancy Hollister briefly served as Governor of Ohio ascending from the position of Lt. Governor when George Voinovich resigned to take his seat in the U.S. Senate.  No woman has ever been elected governor in Ohio. 

Some Democrats in Ohio are so pleased with the work Jennifer Brunner has done as Secretary of State that they have tried to persuade her not to run for the U.S. Senate.  “I know I can do so much more for our state in the U.S. Senate,” said Brunner who has a track record of running steady, consistent campaigns.  Brunner raised $1.8 million for her Secretary of State race in 2006.  “The way I raise money is steady; I plant a lot of seeds.”

Brunner expressed her understanding for the sensitivity of primary elections and doesn’t want to make people uncomfortable.  “I stay in regular contact with people but I do not put on a lot of pressure,” Brunner added.  “The primary election is not until May 4, 2010 so we have a lot of time to talk to voters and get out our message.”

One message Brunner is delivering is that women have to not only talk the talk, they need to walk the walk.  “If we tell our daughters they can be anything they want to be, we need to prove it to them.”  And with the support of women across Ohio, she just might do it.

To contribute to Jennifer Brunner’s campaign, visit: http://www.jenniferbrunner.com/