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A vote of confidence indeed

A traditionally female group is led by a man, who's not afraid of strong women. He grew up with a couple of them.

By CANDACE RONDEAUX
Published October 14, 2005

WESLEY CHAPEL - Michael McKinney is a ladies' man. He knows at least 100 women in Tampa Bay he could call almost any time. But he's not likely to be asking them for a date.

Instead, the president of the Hillsborough County League of Women Voters plans to hit them up to get involved.

This year, McKinney, 61, became the first man to run the local chapter of the organization that three decades ago was open only to women.

Now he can count himself among the ranks of such political power brokers as former state Education Commissioner Betty Castor, former state Sen. Helen Gordon Davis and Hillsborough County Commissioner Kathy Castor, all of whom once held the rank of league president.

McKinney is also part of an exclusive cadre of about 15 men who head League of Women Voters chapters across the country. And he's determined to shake things up.

"I want to make it clear I'm not a chauvinist, but I believe a woman's place is in the house," McKinney deadpanned during a speech he made after he was elected to lead the Hillsborough league in June. "The White House, that is."

A former Young Republican, McKinney said he wouldn't mind voting for New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton if she runs for president in 2008. He thinks the country is ready for the perspective a woman might bring to the Oval Office, even if she is a Democrat.

"The person I'd feel sorry for would be the first man," McKinney joked. "I'm not sure Bill could handle that."

McKinney handles role reversal well, his friends at the league say. Past president Mimi Osiason said he was elected in part because of previous service on the league's board. Besides, Osiason said, about 10 percent of the Hillsborough chapter's 106 members are men.

"We've had presidents from all over the county," she said. "We've had younger presidents. We've had older presidents. So I guess this is the last barrier, to have a man as president."

He's a natural, she said.

"He has an incredibly calm demeanor. He's able to go into a situation and allow people of differing views discuss things in a calm manner," Osiason said.

Years of washing dishes and helping his mother in her catering and restaurant business gave him an appreciation for hard work. That's why he's not afraid to roll up his sleeves now to rebuild the Hillsborough league's dwindling membership.

"Last year, it was to the point where we either had to disband or to knuckle under and just do it," McKinney said. "So our main goal this year will be to bring in new members."

It's an important goal for anyone who leads one of the league's 900 chapters, where membership has fluctuated greatly.

Founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt, the suffragist group drew hundreds of female supporters six months before Congress ratified the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

For years the bipartisan citizens group was best known for sponsoring presidential debates until that function was assumed by the Democratic and Republican national committees several years ago. The public policy advocacy group opened membership to men in 1974.

About a decade earlier, McKinney had earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture at Murray State University in southwest Kentucky. He eventually went on to Purdue University, where he worked on public policy issues in the university's extension program.

McKinney moved to Florida in 1986 and soon parlayed his 18 years at Purdue into a job as director of the University of Florida's extension program in Tampa.

He has called Florida home ever since. He retired in June and now devotes most of his time to volunteer work and business leadership consulting.

McKinney credits his grandmother, Pearl Moore Hollingsworth, with piquing his interest in bipartisan politics and voting rights issues.

"She instilled in me the belief that all people are equal," he said.

- Candace Rondeaux can be reached at 813 226-3337 or rondeaux@sptimes.com

[Last modified October 13, 2005, 08:20:12]