That was a piece of advice given to Charlotte Walsh by her mentor, a former governor, U.S. Senator, and Ambassador to the United Nations, when she encouraged Charlotte to run for the U.S. Senate in her home state of Pennsylvania.
It doesn't matter that Charlotte got out of her hometown—and away from the East Coast—as quickly as she could, and that she hasn't been home for years. Charlotte and her mentor believe she has what it takes to make a difference in the lives of Pennsylvanians, not to mention shake up politics as usual in the Keystone State.
So Charlotte, who in the meantime had become a high-powered Silicon Valley executive, moves back to her downtrodden hometown with her husband Max (who graduated from high school a few years before her) and their three young daughters. It's quite a shift for all of them—it reopens old family wounds and causes some strain in Charlotte and Max's marriage, as he has to put his own career ambitions on hold in order to become the girls' primary caregiver. But it will all be worth it once Charlotte is elected to the Senate.
Charlotte has great ideas, and truly desires to make a difference in the lives of her fellow Pennsylvanians, especially women, who have been particularly mistreated and disillusioned following the last presidential election. The Democrats rarely even run anyone against Charlotte's challenger, a long-time incumbent who represents the type of dirty, old-school politics that she doesn't want to get mired in.
"Charlotte was sick to death of being told to feel sorry for the working-class white man. Being a mediocre white guy doesn't mean you deserve to be crowned a king, get a job, or get laid. The cavalry is not coming for you. Of course, she could never utter these thoughts out loud to anyone."
It doesn't take long for her to realize the challenges a female political candidate faces, even in this day and age, especially when she is running against a man. Charlotte has to get accustomed to her clothing and shoe choices to be documented, has to remember to come across as strong but not threatening, forceful but not angry. Although she vowed to run an honest, clean campaign, she finds herself having to tailor her message to whatever group she is speaking, even if that strikes her as pandering and opportunistic.
When she is given information about a secret involving her opponent's family, one which might allow her to take a comfortable lead, she has to decide whether her principles are more important than potential victory. And when her opponent's campaign uncovers a secret which has potential not only to affect the race but her marriage, Charlotte has to remember why she decided to run for the Senate in the first place, and how much she is willing to sacrifice.
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win couldn't be any more timely for the world we're living in right now. Even after the 2016 election, Charlotte had to lose her idealism relative to politics, particularly female political candidates, and the inequities they face versus their male counterparts. Why is it okay for her opponent to have been married multiple times but her marriage has to be perfect? Why does it matter what shoes she wears to a campaign appearance, or even just a trip to the grocery store? These are questions which may seem all too familiar for some.
I thought this was a terrific, utterly compelling book. It's not necessarily surprising, especially if you pay attention to the political world, but it doesn't matter, because Jo Piazza is a great storyteller. The characters and the scenarios they find themselves in may seem familiar, but Piazza adds her own twists and turns, and she makes you wonder exactly what will happen come Election Day. (This is a question many in the U.S. are asking themselves about now.)
While Charlotte's character is a Democrat, the story is more about her campaign and her life as it is affected by the campaign, and it doesn't spend a ton of time getting too political. So if you've been trying to avoid that subject for a while, this is still a fun book you won't be able to put down.
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