Journal News - Tennant Celebrates Women's Equality Day in Charles Town, Discusses Pay

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By Chelsea Demello

West Virgnia Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Natalie Tennant, D-W.Va., celebrated Women's Equality Day on Tuesday in Charles Town by campaigning with West Virginia's first female Secretary of State, Helen Holt.

Tennant hosted a rally in commemoration of women's suffrage and discussed the progress of pay equality for female workers in the state.

Tennant said Women's Equality Day reminds voters of the importance of the election.

The winner of the Nov. 4 election will replace outgoing Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and either way, it will be the first time West Virginia has had a female U.S. senator. The Senate race is between Tennant and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.

Capito campaigned in Wheeling on Tuesday in celebration of Women's Equality Day.

During her campaign speech, Tennant said that despite the race sending a woman from West Virginia to represent a U.S. seat, it wasn't a matter of making history.

"It's not about being the first woman, it's about being the best woman for West Virginia," she said.

Tennant celebrated Women's Equality Day with Holt, West Virginia's first female secretary of state, by her side.

Born in 1913, Holt was seven years old when the 19th amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution.

Holt described the experience of her mother being able to vote for the very first time.

"I remember my parents were quite young. My father was a precinct committeeman, and it was his job to get all the people out to vote and I remember he was very proud the day he took his wife in to vote for the first time. I didn't realize what a big deal it was and why he was so proud of her, because I was just a little girl then," she said.

Holt, who turned 101 on Aug. 16, said Washington needs more women in the U.S. Senate.

"If we had more women in the U.S. Senate, for example, they wouldn't be making as many mistakes," she said.

Tennant discussed pay equality Tuesday, claiming that Capito does not support providing women workers in the state equal pay.

"My opponent has chosen to not stand up for women in West Virginia or across this country. She has voted five times against equal pay for equal work. In a state especially where in West Virginia, women only make 70 cents per dollar to what a man makes. That's even 7 cents less than the national average," Tennant said.

During her campaign speech, Tennant said she would support proposed legislation amending portions to the Equal Pay Act.

"I will vote for the Paycheck Fairness Act because I want my daughter and all of our daughters and all of our girls to know their work has value," she said.

Within her plan to support pay equality, Tennant elaborated on educational opportunities and the importance of supporting small businesses. Tennant said that since many of the small business owners in the state are women, the state needs to cut fees and continue to support small businesses.

While the push for women's pay equality drove the rally, Tennant spoke on increasing minimum wage across West Virginia.

"If someone works a 40-hour work week, they should not be living in poverty. If you work 40 hours a week, you should be able to provide for your family. You should be able to put food on the table. You should be able to pay your mortgage and your car payments, and I'll vote for increasing minimum wage," she said.

Capito, who campaigned in Wheeling, sent a news release Tuesday in response to Tennant's campaign in Charles Town. In the release, Capito discussed Tennant's campaigning and the amount that West Virginians pay each year for her to serve in office.

"Natalie Tennant's perpetual campaigning on the taxpayers' dime is an insult to all the women and families in this state who are working hard just to make ends meet," she said in a news release.

In addition, Capito backed her position on equal pay.

"Women absolutely deserve equal pay for equal work. Equal pay is the law. In order to ensure women and men have access to the same opportunities, we need to grow our economy and create jobs, and we must invest in job training and skill development," she said, according to the release.

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