Never mess with a woman from the Big Apple.
Residents of Long Island learned this firsthand in 2005, when Kathleen Rice stunned the political world as she overcame the male Republican incumbent to become the first woman elected District Attorney in Nassau County.
Now running for New York Attorney General, Rice stands out as the candidate with the experience and determination to become New York's next successful Attorney General.
Rice's record as Nassau County's District Attorney has demonstrated that she is an ardent leader who will be tough on crime in New York. As one of her campaign ads accurately proclaims,
"If anyone thought Kathleen Rice would be a pushover as Long Island's first woman district attorney, they were wrong."
Rice is most known for her nationally recognized endeavor to combat drunk driving, which led to statewide changes in DWI law. In 2008, this effort inspired a renewed national debate on local law enforcement's role in DWI prevention, prosecution, and education. Rice also initiated an innovative, community-oriented strategy to eradicate one of Long Island's most prolific drug markets. The strategy combined established law enforcement methods with progressive social service diversion, job training, and education opportunities. This successful approach has since been adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice and employed by communities throughout the country.
District Attorney Rice has proven to be a tenacious leader for her community as well as for her country. She has confronted the most daunting issues, and she has succeeded. On Tuesday, New York City Comptroller John Liu announced his endorsement for Rice with a statement applauding her unparalleled qualifications:
"Kathleen Rice is progressive, she's tough and she will be an excellent attorney general. From her work taking on corrupt public officials and sexual predators, to her innovative and progressive solutions for how to combat domestic violence and drug crime, Kathleen has proven that she is the candidate most capable of reforming Albany and most capable of managing an office that is so vital to New York families."
In addition to being the most eminently qualified candidate, Rice is also a champion for women. She is a strong and consistent leader on women's issues, and has remained resolute in her mission to break through the glass ceiling. She has already made a crack in this ceiling by becoming Long Island's first woman DA, and if she succeeds in this election, she will also be the first woman in her state to achieve the title of Attorney General.
Rice's bid for Attorney General may be significant for another reason--the last two New York Attorney Generals (presuming Andrew Cuomo will indeed win his election) have proceeded to serve as the state's Governor. With only 6 out of 50 states hosting a female Governor, engaging more women in gubernatorial elections is critical to advancing women's political participation in this country.
We need more women like Kathleen Rice in public leadership--women who are trailblazers and dedicated advocates for women. Please join me in supporting this phenomenal leader as she prepares for her primary election on Tuesday.