Commentary: Let’s Pretend That Kelly’s Name is Ken

When a woman becomes a candidate for high office, one question inevitably follows: All things being equal, should one vote for a woman simply because she is a woman? There is a problem with that question, however, which leads me to suggest a slightly different question when thinking about the current race for mayor of Denver. What if Kelly Brough‘s first name was Ken?

Let’s take the problem with the original question first: the phrase “all things being equal.”  All things are not equal and have not been for some time. Trust me, I know from experience. In 1990, I ran Josie Heath’s campaign for the U.S. Senate. And in 2002, I was a candidate for mayor of Denver.

When Josie Heath won her primary back then and became the Democratic nominee, true legitimacy did not follow. I witnessed the…