Kirsten Anderson: Why I’m Choosing Bravery With Kirsten Gillibrand

A guest post from Kirsten Anderson on her choice in the Iowa Caucus.

Bravery plays a huge role in my life. Bravery got me through tough personal, private, and public moments. Bravery has helped show me how to be strong for my family and pushed me to question people in power to create positive change. Bravery leads me to advocate, empower others, and educate people on the complexities of workplace harassment in order to end it.

Bravery is what has been missing from the national political stage for some time now. That is, until I met Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

The fact that we share a first name is coincidence. The fact that Senator Gillibrand is taking a brave, honest, and realistic approach to her candidacy for president is refreshing and deserves attention.

Senator Gillibrand is a working mother and woman of faith who is passionate and compassionate about many things that matter to all of us. She also happens to be a U.S. Senator with a stellar track record of approaching issues head-on, like her leadership on repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, working toward a realistic strategy to achieve Medicare for All, and fighting for better protections for victims of sexual harassment and assault in the military and on college campuses.

She is standing up to special interests and wants to get big money out of politics. She believes in bold action on climate change and passing a Green New Deal.

Senator Gillibrand works to ensure her bravery is bipartisan in a time when too many leaders say divisive things that tear us apart. Senator Gillibrand has led in a bipartisan fashion at the federal level for over a decade because she understands that issues don’t discriminate by party affiliation. She has passed nineteen bills under President Trump because she knows how to get the job done.

When I first met Senator Gillibrand in Des Moines, I was struck by her willingness to listen and learn. She always has her notebook nearby and is the first in the room to ask questions and get to the heart of an issue. She sees the people behind the problems and works to make their lives better.

She is also humble enough to admit when she has been wrong and patient enough to learn more about anything in order to make the right decision.

The issues and positions Gillibrand takes a stand on are not necessarily popular or convenient; it is simply the right thing to do. Doing the right thing can be hard and is not always easy – that’s what being brave is all about.

Senator Gillibrand will be the first to tell you she has the skills, confidence, and wherewithal to defeat our current President and I agree: she is the whole package. That kind of bravery deserves attention. Kirsten Gillibrand is the right leader at the right time to restore bravery throughout our country.

by Kirsten Anderson
Posted 4/26/19