Virginia’s own Rep. Barbara Comstock and Ambassador Nikki Haley are among two Republican women whose accomplishments have gained the attention of national heavy hitters as we move into 2018.
Regarding Comstock, CNN reporter Saba Hemedy was almost effusive in her praise:
In the last month, the Virginia Republican — along with California Democrat Rep. Jackie Speier, Gillibrand, and others — has emerged as one of the leading voices in Congress on the issue of sexual harassment and assault.
She was among the bipartisan group of lawmakers who introduced legislation in November that aims to overhaul the way sexual harassment is treated on Capitol Hill, as stories of misconduct involving sitting members of Congress have rocked Washington.
In November, at a House hearing on preventing sexual harassment on the Hill, she recalled a story she heard about a staffer who quit her job after a lawmaker exposed himself.
“That kind of situation, what are we doing here for women, right now, who are dealing with someone like that?” Comstock said.
Also notable in CNN’s estimation was UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, whose speech before the United Nations castigating the diplomatic body for the Trump administration’s decision to follow up on the 1993 legislation formally moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem earned her national praise:
As CNN noted in its profile of Haley earlier this year, she has been front and center for the Trump administration. When Trump was in Virginia in August to deliver a speech on Afghanistan, soldiers were lining up for pictures with her — not the President. The next day, Haley made a blitz of television appearances praising the speech.
Recently, Haley has also been vocal about her support of women who are coming forward about sexual harassment allegations. She said in an interview with CBS’s “Face the Nation” that those who speak up about inappropriate sexual behavior “should be heard,” including Trump’s accusers.
Some have said she may be a 2020 presidential contender if Trump isn’t on the ballot for some reason. The Democratic National Committee reportedly is digging into the pasts of Haley, Vice President Mike Pence, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse.
For those who haven’t had the opportunity to watch Haley’s hallmark UN speech, the highlight reel is certainly worth the five minutes:
Comstock’s accomplishments regarding how the U.S. House of Representatives handles sexual harassment claims — which previously had them simply either paid off or swept under the rug — has been met with visible support from both sides of the aisle, as the current focus has brought to light more than a few instances where resignations rather than resistance should have been the order of the day.
Either way, as Virginia Republicans continue to find their footing in an environment where President Trump has been mercilessly savaged in the media, the ability to turn nuance into leadership — though challenging — is a tightrope Comstock appears to be mastering rather well in Northern Virginia.
