Update: Will a woman replace Anthony Weiner?

(Courtesy of equalrepresentation.org)

According to news reports, local party leaders will choose the candidates for the September 13th Special Election to replace Anthony Weiner in NY09 - or 3500 signatures in the coming 10 days or so will get you on the ballot. Two women have been mentioned as being in the mix, including former New York City Council Member Melinda Katz (who ran against Weiner and lost the primary in 1998) and current Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (a cousin of Queens Democratic Party boss Rep. Joe Crowley, who will make the ballot decision along w/Kings County Assembly member and Democratic Chairperson Vito Lopez ). The election is for the remainder of the current Congressional term, and redistricting may impact the district in 2012 - but the opportunity to put another woman in Congress cannot be overlooked.

Any women with Democratic Party clout out there to make this happen, or will it be the same 'ol same 'ol? Will New York U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand make any effort to rally NYC women around Katz or Crowley or some other woman to fill this Congressional seat, or otherwise pressure the Democratic Party to choose a woman? Gillibrand has recently created offthesidelines.org and provided crucial support for Kathy Hochul in the recent upstate NY26 Special Election. The election of MORE women to Congress requires concrete action, action, action!

(For more information on current "open seats" click HERE -- if you have any news of additional "open seat" races or tips regarding who is running or not running, please let us know.)

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