Introduction
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has served in the United States House of Representatives for the 18th District of Florida since 1989. She is an ideal example when examining the nature of women in politics, both on the voter’s side and the candidate’s side. Her political career is extensive and provides copious votes, bills, and speeches to analyze. Ros-Lehtinen is a complex politician, with a fascinating background, a unique voting record, and a multi-faceted public persona. Regardless of how one feels about the Florida Representative, her long-running place in office shows us her undeniable appeal to voters. Upon researching her congressional records, one finds a considerably progressive politician, who has made headway on many of her political goals. The fact that she continues to vote on either side of the fence shows that she is a true politician, who evaluates her decisions not based on party loyalty, but on the facts, she is presented with. This paper seeks to summarize the political career of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, including her background both personal and professional, her performance on the campaign trail, and her behavior in office. We will also explore the roles women serve in politics and the broader function of gender in the political arena.
Ros-Lehtinen can be considered a new representation of the female politician because she does not completely conform to what is expected of her under the labels she is given by media and the archetypal roles the public expects her to fill. Thus, a study of Ros-Lehtinen provides insight into the place of female politicians. My findings cover a variety of concepts. First I will briefly summarize her background. Ros-Lehtinen is a Hispanic woman with an eclectic religious background. She was elected to office in 1989. She is considered conservative though often votes in the middle. I will continue with a look at how Ros-Lehtinen fits in with the spectrum of female politicians, and how her career both contradicts and sustains the function of gender in politics. I also examine where she comes down on the issues. She has been supportive of the war in Iraq, though she also funds projects to rebuild areas that have been destroyed by war. She is also supportive of gay rights and funding for children’s resources. She typically votes against tax measures that give breaks to low-income families, in keeping with her party affiliation (GovTrack.us, 2008, U.S. representative profile).
This research can be found significant because it represents Ros-Lehtinen as the new female politician and identifies both the obstacles women face in politics and the opportunity that lies before them. For Ros-Lehtinen, and most female politicians, the goal is to break through the stereotypical roles they are expected to fill, and this politician certainly does. She is female, a typically liberal-leaning demographic, yet she often votes and affiliates with the Republican Party. She is Republican but tends to break the mold in her involvement with social issues and somewhat moderate views. Though it is a simple task to discuss the decisions she has made, it is difficult to pinpoint the essence of Ros-Lehtinen as a politician because of her eclectic and dynamic career. Research of this nature is increasingly relevant in that, for the first time in history, our country faces the imminent possibility of a female president in candidate Hilary Clinton. In this landmark election, we must be prepared to reexamine our preconceived notions about women in politics. Whether or not Hilary Clinton is ultimately the candidate for whom we lend our support and our vote, we owe it to ourselves and our country to decide for fully informed citizens. Furthermore, reflecting on Ros-Lehtinen’s election strategies and official activities can provide invaluable knowledge to future female candidates on how to run a successful campaign and maintain an office to develop a substantial political career.
Political Biography
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has as exotic a background as her last name. Born in Havana, Cuba, she earned her Bachelors’s Degree in Education and a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership from Florida International University. Her mother, Amanda Adato, was born Jewish, though she eventually converted to Catholicism. Her father’s name is Enrique Ros. After moving to Florida, Ros-Lehtinen attended numerous public elementary and middle schools before graduating high school and moving on to Florida International University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. She continued at the university to earn her Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership.
Later she attended the University of Miami to pursue a Ph.D. in Higher Education. She has served on both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate before campaigning in 1989 to serve as representative to the United States Congress. By taking the position she became the first Cuban American woman, in fact, the first Hispanic woman of any background, to serve in the United States Congress. The 18th District covers Coral Gables and areas of Miami. She took the office from late congressman Claude Pepper. Ros-Lehtinen’s religious affiliation is rather eclectic. Despite the Jewish origin of her mother, she tends to associate with Christian religions and has been lasted as both Episcopalian and Roman Catholic. Even still, Ros-Lehtinen does not campaign with as heavy a religious message as many candidates feel is necessary in our modern political world. This is another way in which she is a progressive, modern female politician.
Electoral Experiences
To understand the nature of women in politics one must understand the myriad labels and stereotypes attached to gender in modern society. Whether we believe that gender is a rightful way to determine what official to elect, the gender of a politician plays an undeniable role in the image that the voting public perceives of them. For voters, gender can often be one of the determining factors with which they choose a candidate to support. According to an extensive study done by Paul Herrnson and associates show that “stereotypes about gender place certain strategic imperatives on female candidates” (Herrnson 2003). Depending on how they prioritize their political needs, voters may choose a male candidate over a female candidate because they believe that a male is more equipped to suit their needs than a female and vice versa.
One theory is that women tend to vote liberal or Democrat. This perception exists because people believe that women prioritize their political views by putting women’s children’s and gay rights on the top of the list. They tend to seek funding and support for schools, the right to choose, rehabilitation of the environment, and welfare issues. Though there are female politicians strewn all along the political spectrum, this is one notion of women in politics that truly affects the candidacy of women trying to win political offices today. Because people have this concept of women as liberal voters, female candidates who run as conservatives might worry that they would not pull the women’s vote like they would if they were running with a more liberal party. On the other side of the coin, voters are likely to pigeonhole female candidates, either by deciding to support a candidate regardless of whether they agree with their positions or by deciding not to vote for them because they do not fit the role that voters are accustomed to seeing female politicians in.
Regarding Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, this issue is certainly a relevant one. If we assume that women tend to vote liberally, then Ros-Lehtinen would be one of those candidates at risk of being pigeonholed. She has a more conservative record than most, regardless of gender (GovTrack.us, 2008, U.S. representative profile). However, she frequently steps out of the boundaries of the typical Republican politician, which makes pigeonholing her an even bigger detriment to voters who might right her off as too conservative without taking the time to truly look into her voting records.
Another theory is that women feel compelled to put out a strong, even masculine image when running for office. This is a preemptive strike against the public that may peg them as weak simply due to their gender. Many voters consider the role of a political official to be wise, in control, powerful, intimidating, and for the most part, male. Men are associated with dominance, war, economic ambition and success, leadership, and innovation. Voters want a politician that they can trust with the overwhelming task they consider governmental leadership positions to be. Politicians must be able to assuage the fears that an increasingly dangerous world presents, and the public may not see a woman in the dominant, powerful role.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen certainly supports the theory that women must project as strong an image as possible to compete with men. Her campaign manager was one of the most, now notorious, conservative Republicans, Jeb Bush. Bush’s affiliation with George W. Bush and the entire administration influences his image, and in doing so Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s image, as a pro-war, pro-religion politician. This may have aided Ros-Lehtinen while running in more conservative years but now this could be a detriment. The public is becoming increasingly aware of the controversy surrounding the validity of Jeb Bush and the entire Bush family of politicians. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen also has another powerful male figure, albeit dramatically different than Jeb Bush. His name was Jorge Mas Canosa and before he died in 1997 he was the leader of the Cuban American National Foundation which was accused of supporting anti-Cuban terrorism by the Cuban government. Indeed these ties with Cuba and her heritage are what comprise much of her foreign policy—a typically male issue. “Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is the Ranking Member on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Whilst serving in this role, Ileana has been a tireless advocate for the advancement of human rights across the globe, as well as continuing to be a strong voice in opposition to Castro’s communist regime in Cuba” (Ros-Lehtinen, 2008, biography section, para. 10).
A prominent theory among political pundits and voters alike is the manipulation of gender roles and perceptions by the media. As Kahn explores in his 1994 research on women in the political spotlight, the danger of media’s distortion of women in politics is very real. We depend on the media to deliver us accurate and unbiased information about each candidate regardless of the party affiliation or loyalties of a given media entity (Kahn 1994). However, we know better than to expect completely honest media; instead, we know that news people are inherently tied to their opinions and preconceived notions and that representations of candidates will almost always be skewed to a greater or lesser extent by the fallible intellects of the ones delivering the news.
Thus, no matter the party affiliation, women are presented by media in association with certain characteristics. Some of these include compassion for children and the environment, advocacy for women’s and minority rights. Men are traditionally portrayed as war-hungry and libidinous. They are also often depicted as intelligent even if they are not a singular intellect, whereas women might find they have to prove themselves as intelligent to earn the image instead of being automatically granted it. Female candidates are often also automatically feminist, simply by being female, whether they truly are or not. When gender is an issue, the media will craft their approach to female candidates much differently than they will approach males. Perhaps women who vote on both sides of the fence are attempting to forecast a middle-of-the-road image when they place it on one distinct side. This may be a proactive way of compensating for what can often prove to be a political detriment. For example, in reaction to the liberal, weaker image of the female politician in more conservative, male-centric areas of the United States, some female candidates may represent themselves as aggressive or religiously conservative to win the support of voters who make their decision on the image alone.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen may very well be doing the same thing. In her early years, on the heels of Jeb Bush, she was a rather staunchly conservative official. Considering her rather obscured religious background and her identification as a Hispanic woman, the most conservative members of her party may need to see her making equally conservative decisions to make up for what they might see as a too liberal persona. She has voted to fund troops in Iraq and continues to strike down bills advocating tax breaks for low-income families. However, in recent years she seems to have become more comfortable with her occasionally more liberal tendencies. She is well known and respected among the gay community for being a frequent supporter of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues such as gay marriage (GovTrack.us, 2008, U.S. representative profile). Today she can be considered truly moderate. Ros-Lehtinen tends to be conservative when it comes to foreign policy and economics, and liberal when it comes to civil rights and education.
Another issue women might face in the political world is the fact that some voters might see them as out of the proper role for women. Whereas male politicians can fill the dual role of career and family, the public still sees the role of women as domesticated. If a woman is working in the man’s world of politics she must be remiss of her duties to her family. Voters continue to hold family values among the main priorities in a political candidate and may short-change women running for office under the assumption that they can not be family-oriented people and still do the job as well as a man would.
Like most women in politics, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has a small family and a politician husband. Ros-Lehtinen met their husband Dexter Lehtinen while serving on the Florida State Congress. Having been active as representative for nearly two decades, Ros-Lehtinen truly steps outside of the cynical image of women in politics. Her commitment to family is shown in her efforts to support education. “As a former educator, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has been a strong voice for addressing the education needs of her community” (Ros-Lehtinen, 2008, biography section, para. 9). The fact that she’s had such a successful political career is testament to the fact that she has the loyalty of her constituents which shows further that she promotes a family-conscious image.
Activities and Behavior in Office
In regards to Iraq Ros-Lehtinen sides somewhat with the current administration. Even though Iraq’s involvement in the attack on the World Trade Center has always been debatable, she believes that not only has violence and oppression been inflicted on the people by its tyrannical leaders, but that they hate America and thus should be occupied. This is in keeping with the rationale of the conservative party and those behind Bush’s decision to go to war overseas, but this view is increasingly less popular among constituents who feel lied to by the administration, even among the most conservative areas of the state. Ros-Lehtinen has also sided with Bush in voting in favor of a permanent Patriot Act and the allowance of warrantless privacy invasion by the government. However, in recent years Ros-Lehtinen has lent her support alongside Democrats to fund the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Act which entailed programs to help strengthen the Afghani society (GovTrack.us, 2008, U.S. representative profile). The fact that she is a female politician makes this opinion all the more volatile because many women may disagree with her very severely on the issue and the war is a hot topic for recent and approaching elections.
Because of the proximity to oceans and tropical landscapes, Floridian politics is particularly involved with the preservation of the environment. Ros-Lehtinen has done an admirable job upholding this reputation. During her time in office, she has made steps to ensure the protection and preservation of the Miami River, by campaigning for money to fund the care and maintenance of the river. She has also used her public persona to engage the public with the fight to protect the earth. One such opportunity was a scuba dive to the Aquarius Habitat which was meant to promote ways we can save the coral reefs. “In addition to preventing offshore drilling, Ileana has fought to secure in excess of $27 million to provide for the dredging of the Miami River, ensuring that the river remains a vibrant natural resource. A further $4.5 million has been dedicated in the 2008 Budget. This important work removes contaminated materials from the river, protecting coral reefs and other important marine life in Biscayne Bay” (Ros-Lehtinen, 2008, biography section, para. 6). She has further extended her goals to include voting or the Water Resources Development Act which funds environmental protection and restoration.
Ros-Lehtinen has also weighed in on the issue of passports in the State Department. She is considered largely responsible for getting the State Department in gear in regards to their processing of passports, after she took the opportunity to speak out at a hearing in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, calling the serious time delays outrageous. The pressure came after the State Department experienced slow efficiency during the busy travel season of summer. This relates to her role as a woman in politics because she represents a politician that can stay attuned to the needs of her constituents. Though this is not specific to her gender, a common stereotype of women in government is that a woman will feel overwhelmed by a job that a man could handle more easily. Tending to needs such as these that do not earn as much media exposure shows that she truly considers all aspects of her job and sets many goals for herself.
On gay rights, Ros-Lehtinen is rather to the left of many of her political peers as well as her voting record. She has traditionally voted in support of gay rights and anti-hate crime laws (Rothaus 2005). Even more controversial is Ros-Lehtinen’s strong support of a policy that allows people to be openly gay while serving in the military. Unlike most conservatives and republicans, she believes that the military should get rid of their policy to ban gays from the military, stating that they should be allowed to serve openly, without fear of discrimination. “‘It doesn’t make any sense,’ Ros-Lehtinen said of the ban. ‘There’s no scientific evidence that sexual orientation has an effect on the ability to perform as a military officer or a buck private.’ “(Rothaus 2005). Because women tend to vote in support of gay rights, this makes Ros-Lehtinen successful among her female constituents in an area where, if she voted as we might expect her to from her voting record, she may have lost many votes.
On the topic of Darfur, Ros-Lehtinen has visited the United Nations to represent Congress in the fight against genocide. She has also visited the country, including impactful trips to the refugee camps that no doubt had a large effect on Ros-Lehtinen and her ambition towards the liberation of Darfur. When she came home she continued with a renewed drive to use her public voice to push the United States to get involved with the travesties in Darfur. This topic strikes a chord with women voters, and has for decades, due to the strikingly horrific conditions for women in these areas. Many experience rape and abuse and even female circumcision. Thus, women feel particularly tied to this topic, especially as African women continue to immigrate to the United States and share their harrowing stories.
As might be expected of a female official, Ros-Lehtinen has made great strides working with children. Specifically, she developed the Vision Care for Kids Act, which provides funds for children to have proper eye care, and vision correction like glasses. She is also responsible for creating the Vision Preservation Act. Health-centered behaviors like these win her support among constituents.
Amidst her indefinite religious background, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s support of the church of Scientology seems rather unusual. She has put her support behind the comparatively new religion through legislation and recognition of Scientology in the media. In return, she has received considerable donations to her campaigns over the years by wealthy Scientology members who appreciate Ros-Lehtinen’s strong loyalty and support.
Lehtinen also has a record of voting against estate taxes for the wealthy, opting for tax cuts for the upper classes, while denying legislation that calls for tax breaks for low-income families.
Conclusion
This research is meant to give the reader a sense of Ros-Lehtinen’s widely spanning political repertoire. By understanding the process through which Ros-Lehtinen earned and preserved her place in the United States Congress, we gain an understanding of the way women operate in politics. This research finds its relevance in defining a modern portrayal of the female politician in Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Ros-Lehtinen’s positions place everywhere on the political scale, comprising the career of a truly knowledgeable and confident politician. Despite whether we agree with her or not, whether we may vote for her or not, we can not deny the things that she teaches us simply by using her leadership position to do what she thinks is right in all cases.
That she votes both liberally and conservatively makes her the ideal candidate for any research, as most citizens will agree with her at some point. We learn from this research also that women face many obstacles in the political world, in the form of stereotypes, expectations, biases, and voter ignorance. In a sense, this provides women in politics with the motivation to prove their capability in this uphill battle. A woman in the field faces far more of a challenge than a male in the same position. This research is proof of the true capacity of women to fulfill equal or superior political goals as men. Using what we learn we can better evaluate the candidates we choose, with the knowledge that we are choosing based on merit and not on our perceived image of a candidate.
Works Cited
GovTrack. “Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, U.S. Representative” (2008). Online Internet. Web.
Herrnson, Paul S. J. Celeste Lay, Atiya Kai Stokes “Women Running ‘as Women’: Candidate Gender, Campaign Issues, and Voter-Targeting Strategies” (2003). The Journal of Politics 65 (1) , 244–255.
Kahn, Kim Fridkin. “The Distorted Mirror: Press Coverage of Women Candidates for Statewide Office” (February 1994). The Journal of Politics, Vol. 56, No. 1 154 173.
Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana. “Homepage of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen”. Online. Internet. 2008. Web.
Rothaus, Steven. “Republican Lawmaker Urging End to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy,” (2005) Miami Herald.