WEST LOS ANGELES : Tipper Gore’s Goal: to Get Democratic Women to Vote

If you’re one of a million women who voted Democratic in November, 1992, and haven’t voted since--Tipper Gore wants you.

The wife of the vice president was the main attraction at a tea party at the West Los Angeles home of Democratic Party activist Lila Garrett last weekend to talk about the Women Vote! project--a joint effort of the California Democratic Party, Emily’s List, Dianne Feinstein for Senate and Kathleen Brown for Governor.

The project has identified California women who vote Democratic but only go to the polls in presidential elections. With polls showing both Feinstein and Brown in trouble, 1 million such women can be the margin of victory, organizers say.

“Even if we can’t outspend the opposition, if we make our collective minds up, we can out-work them by getting out our voters,” said Gore, speaking to guests who paid $100 each. “Women can make the difference because when they vote, they win.”

Republicans, however, dismiss the Democratic effort as futile. Said Jennifer Grossman, communications director of the Michael Huffington campaign for U.S. Senate: “As soon as you hear talk about the need to re-energize your base, what you’re listening to is the death rattle of a dying campaign.”

According to Democratic Party chairman Bill Press, however, the $2-million project is the most extensive women’s voter outreach project in California history. “We know who (the target group members) are and we have their phone numbers,” he said. First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton will visit California in late October on behalf of the project.

“These 1 million women originally voted for my husband and Bill Clinton. They voted to move the country forward and I know if we can only get the good news out to them like jobs are up, the economy is improving . . . that we can reignite their idealism and they’ll put people in office who’ll keep pushing,” Gore said.