The remarkable story of a teacher who ran a grassroots
campaign for Congress . . . from her sixth-grade classroom
“You can’t run for office in this country unless you’re a
millionaire or you know a lot of millionaires.” This offhand remark
from one of her sixth-grade students dismayed public school teacher
Tierney Cahill. When she told the kids that in a democracy anyone
can run for office, they dared her to prove it–by running herself.
She accepted their challenge on one condition: that they, her
students, manage the campaign.
A single mom with three kids and more than one job to make ends
meet, Cahill was in for a decidedly uphill battle, especially as a
Democrat in largely Republican Reno, Nevada. But Cahill had always
felt a responsibility to make a positive impact on an increasingly
inequitable world. With her eager students leading the way, and a
war chest of just seven thousand dollars compared to opponents
with one hundred times the funds, Cahill not only got her name on
the ballot but she won the Democratic primary. And as the campaign
moved forward, Cahill’s students blossomed beyond her wildest
expectations.
Ms. Cahill for Congress is the inspiring story of an exceptional
teacher who proved that anyone really can run for office–and even
without money or connections, make a difference in a great many
lives.