Who Are the Most Powerful Women in Politics?: The Broadsheet

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Kristalina Georgieva is set to take over the IMF, activist investors can be sexist, and we want your input on the most powerful women in politics. Have a productive Monday.

EVERYONE'S TALKING

- Powerful politicos. Summertime means one thing for Coins2Day: preparations are underway for our annual Most Powerful Women in Business lists, set to be released in our October issue.

We're bringing this up early because we're trying something new this year. Along with the most powerful women in business, we'll be identifying some of the most powerful women in politics. Elected officials, candidates for office (there's a new profile on Tulsi Gabbard, by the way), key behind-the-scenes staffers, big-money donors, powerful lobbyists: we're considering them all.

That's where we want your input, politico Broadsheet readers. Who do you think are the most powerful women in politics? The unprecedented group of women running for the Democratic nomination? The donors shaping the 2020 race and beyond? The lobbyists getting legislation pushed through or killed on the Hill? The female GOPers bucking the retirement trend sweeping the Republican wing of the House of Representatives?

We've already identified a few criteria for evaluating candidates. There is, of course, their literal or legislative power. Then, the outsize influence of their ideas (the AOC effect, if you will). For the non-elected officials, their financial influence on American politics. And finally, their expected political trajectory.

We'd love your input on who should be on this list. You can write with your suggestions to [email protected]—and stay tuned for the list next month.

Emma Hinchliffe
[email protected]
@_emmahinchliffe

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- Two tragedies. Two mass shootings in less than 24 hours in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio rocked the U.S. This weekend; the shooting in El Paso that killed 20 is being investigated as a hate crime and act of domestic terrorism. The suspect's manifesto was posted on 8chan, a platform known as a home for racist, anti-Semitic, misogynist, and extremist content. The El Paso shooting was the third violent act this year to be linked to the site. Web firm Cloudflare just announced it would drop support for the messaging forum, which ultimately could force 8chan offline.

- Christine to Kristalina. The EU chose Kristalina Georgieva as the nominee to replace Christine Lagarde as head of the International Monetary Fund. The Bulgarian CEO of the World Bank won 56% support of the voting bloc’s 28 member states over Jeroen Dijsselbloem, a former Dutch finance minister. The IMF will need to alter its age restriction requiring candidates to be under 65 when they start the job to accommodate the 65-year-old Georgieva. Financial Times

- Back together. After the "send her back" chants at a rally for President Trump—and criticism of House leadership's lackluster support for the four freshman congresswomen targeted by the chants—Rep. Ilhan Omar signaled that she and Nancy Pelosi remain on good terms. Omar posted a photo of herself with the House speaker in Ghana with the caption, "@SpeakerPelosi didn't just make arrangements to send me back, she went back with me." They pair was with the Congressional Black Caucus on a trip marking the 400th anniversary of American slave trade. CNN

- Activist bias. Are activist investors sexist? The answer, as has been discussed in the past, seems to be yes. Research shows that female CEOs face a 27% chance of being targeted, while men face a less-than-1% chance. The question is coming up yet again in light of activist investor Carl Icahn's fight over Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub's Anadarko deal. Wall Street Journal

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Karuna Rawal of Leo Burnett/Publicis Groupe joins Sustainable Bioproducts as its first CMO.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

- The Fan Bingbing resurgence. Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing gives one of her first interviews since starting her slow comeback following a four-month disappearance and house arrest over a tax scandal. Fan says she is at a crossroads; endorsement deals remain scarce but she moves forward with projects like Jessica Chastain's 355. She suggests that both she and China's film industry should "calm down and ruminate." New York Times

- Opting out. More on changing gender roles and norms around women and work in Japan: this time, it's marriage. Japanese women are opting out of the institution as expectations of wives fail to catch up to the reality that many women are staying in the workforce. Some women are even posing for solo bridal portraits to commemorate their singlehood. New York Times

- Menopause medicine. A new medical procedure in the U.K. Can delay menopause by up to 20 years. The IVF specialists behind the procedure say it could be used to combat some of the symptoms associated with menopause, like osteoporosis and heart conditions. Guardian

- Media men. The former Gawker/Gizmodo Media Group is now G/O Media, taken over in a private equity deal. Reporting on its own owners, this Deadspin story is half media inside baseball; half the tale of a workplace that failed to support or promote women. Forbes.com alum and G/O Media head Jim Spanfeller is alleged to have hired several male former colleagues for business-side leadership roles over qualified women at the company, some of whom were promised the opportunity to interview but never got a chance. Deadspin

Share today's Broadsheet with a friend. Looking for previous Broadsheets? Click here.