The year of the woman in politics

It comes as no surprise to me, an old man by any measure, that women are standing out as profiles in courage on the current political scene. Heidi Heitkamp, U.S. senator from North Dakota, bucked the prevailing public attitude in her state by voting against a Supreme Court nominee whose public display of injudicious temperament and whose lack of candor in nomination hearings seemed inappropriate for the nation's highest court.

Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, both Republicans, have been willing to buck their party's leadership by working across the aisle and taking more moderate positions on issue after issue.

Randy Hultgren, representing Illinois' 14th Congressional District, has been a good and faithful soldier for the Trump Republican Party, siding reliably with the president despite avoiding being identified as a blatant trumpeter. His only noteworthy reach across the aisle was an apparent green-wash effort partnering with a Democratic colleague to join the Climate Solutions Caucus while simultaneously voting for a measure to prevent the government from funding any such solutions.

His opponent, Lauren Underwood, I predict, is going to be part of the political year of the woman. Women in droves are responding to the insensitivity of the current government to women and their issues. Lauren is firmly on women's side which puts her squarely on everyone's side. People are waking up to the fact that women tend to be more compassionate and caring, more nurturing and collegial, less competitive, bullying, and acquisitive than men in politics.

What's good for women turns out to be better for everyone. It is well past time women took their rightful place as equal partners in governing this country. Lauren Underwood will prove a great asset in getting this government working for everyone again.

Donovan C. Wilkin

Huntley