18 women candidates to watch for the 2018 midterms

5. Lori Trahan (D)

State: Massachusetts
Race: 3rd District
Platform highlights: Trahan has a lot to say about cooperation across the political aisle, though her stated policies could put her in opposition to a substantial number of conservatives.

Said policies include plenty of support for educational programs, including public education, more affordable higher education, and continuing options that are accessible for people across a wide variety of social and economic classes.

Her educational policies tie in neatly with her economic policies, which are predictably focused on job growth. Accessible and affordable education, Trahan argues, are the path to sustained and stable economic growth. That is: college (or trade school) gets you steady work.

Trahan also advocates for affordable healthcare, women’s rights (including paid family leave and affordable, high-quality childcare), and more open immigration laws. She also has much to say about election reform, with concrete promises to support the DISCLOSE Act, which requires large organizations to report campaign spending, and  the “Get Foreign Money out of US Elections Act.” This last act would extend the ban on campaign donations by foreign nationals to foreign-controlled or influenced corporations.

Why you should watch out for her: Something about Lori Trahan surely stands out to voters, as she was the winning Democrat is a seriously crowded party primary. Trahan was one of a whopping 10 candidates to duke it out for the Democratic nomination. And, as it turns out, Trahan came pretty close to the edge. Dan Koh, her closest challenger in the primary, trailed her by barely more than 100 votes.

What pushed her ahead of Koh? It could be that Trahan has a solid track record as a political person, having worked for nearly a decade for Congressman Marty Meehan, including time as his chief of staff.

Trahan is running against Republican candidate Rick Green, who ran unopposed in his own primary.

Campaign website: www.loritrahan.com