A Q&A with Jennifer Pierotti Lim on Policy and Opposing Trump as a Republican
I interview the founder of Republican Women for Progress
This week, I’m continuing my series of Q&A pieces with key political practitioners. My aim is to gather insights and wisdom from experts, including some friends and acquaintances, who have established themselves as key voices in the world of politics, polling, and campaigns.
Up next is an interview with Jennifer Pierotti Lim, founder of Republican Women for Progress. Jennifer previously helped lead Republican Women for Hillary during the 2016 election due to her disgust with how the party rallied around Donald Trump, especially after his treatment of women throughout the campaign. Jennifer has worked for years on policy and has plenty of campaign experience. I’ve known Jennifer since 2018 and have found her to be a refreshing voice for a more moderate and policy-driven politics and someone who gives women more of a voice in the political process. And standing up to Trump publicly as a Republican makes her a compelling practitioner to highlight. Jennifer was a natural fit for our next Q&A in the series.
Here’s my interview with Jennifer Pierotti Lim…
Kevin Shafer: In 2016, you helped co-found Republican Women for Hillary. What helped motivate you to start that organization?
Jennifer Pierotti Lim: It’s hard to believe that was over seven years ago now! I typically prefer behind-the-scenes work, but when the Megyn Kelly/Trump feud started in August of 2015, I felt like that should have been immediately disqualifying for Trump as a candidate. I kept thinking, it’s 2015 - a Republican presidential candidate is allowed to speak to women like that? Is this really the best we as a party can do? After Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan started to support Trump in early 2016, we knew we had to jump in and do something - so we took to Facebook and Twitter and the rest is history.
Kevin: In doing so, you probably lost some friends in the GOP social circle you had been a part of for a long time. How did you navigate this change?
Jennifer: Honestly, almost everyone was supportive of what we were trying to do - Republicans and Democrats alike - even if they ended up supporting Trump in the end. I can think of maybe three people who made this really personal, but by and large, all of us were trying to make sense of what was happening in 2016 in our own way. Most of the Republicans in my circle felt the same way about Trump, but couldn’t say so publicly which I completely understand. As Nick Naylor says in Thank You For Smoking, “Everyone’s got a mortgage to pay.” During this time, I continued to have thoughtful conversations with Republicans of all stripes, and they were always respectful and confidential. At the end of the day, I really do think most people want the best for America.
Kevin: After Trump’s 2016 election, you transitioned Republican Women for Hillary to Republican Women for Progress. If you could describe the overall mission of RWFP, what would it be?
Jennifer: The whole vision behind Republican Women for Progress is that the GOP has to become a “Big Tent” party that moves away from focusing on the culture wars and towards good governance and actual policy solutions if they want to survive. You can read our entire Guiding Policy Principles here. This was a labor of love led by my Co-founder Ariel! We do this by ensuring the full spectrum of Republican women’s voices are represented in the media, developing and supporting the pipeline of Republican women who want to lead and run for office, and refocusing the GOP on proper governance and policy.
Kevin: Looking ahead to the 2024 election and seeing Donald Trump as the front runner for the Republican nomination, it doesn’t look optimistic for folks like yourselves who have stood up against Trumpism. How do you see this election ultimately panning out?
Jennifer: When I look at the 2024 race, I don’t necessarily see an endorsement of Trumpism, but a failure by the party to articulate a clear vision and alternative candidate. We have a crowded field now splitting the non-Trump vote since DeSantis failed to solidify that support, and a crowded field with no party vision is exactly how we ended up with Trump. We always knew this would be a long game, and clearly it’s going to take more losses for the GOP to see the need for a major pivot.
Kevin: Why did you choose to pursue a career in political activism and policy work?
Jennifer: As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a lobbyist. (Yes my favorite movie is Thank You for Smoking.) I always enjoyed tagging along with my dad while he was volunteering in Virginia politics, and I went to an amazing program at my local public high school called the Center for Leadership, Government and Global Economics where we really explored advocacy and what it meant to serve your community. Fast forward to law school where I started my health policy journey at the right time when the Affordable Care Act began taking shape and I was able to have some incredible internship opportunities, including at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Senate Committee on Business and Entrepreneurship under then Senator Olympia Snowe.
Kevin: What was your first job in the political space? Are there lessons from that first job you still rely on today?
Jennifer: I’m going to take you back to my first internship in high school with the Virginia Lawyers Weekly (a legal newspaper in Richmond) - I felt so official to take the bus downtown to my “job”! My internship was very dependent on using a fax machine, and fortunately or unfortunately I had to use my fax machine skills at several internships and jobs after that. Another part of my job was to write the obituaries for the local attorneys who had passed away - if that doesn’t make you think about what type of legacy you want to leave, I don’t know what does!
Kevin: What type of policy work have you done? What policy issues are you most passionate about?
Jennifer: Before I landed in the women’s representation space, I spent most of my career in health policy starting in law school. As the Director of Health Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, I loved delving into regulatory health policy as the ACA was created and implemented, and overall representing the needs of the business community. One of my favorite memories was traveling all over the U.S. to various Chambers of Commerce to help their small businesses understand how to comply with the ACA. I’ve always had a soft spot for tobacco policy and was able to work on the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act during my time at Altria, and most recently, I’ve revisited my legal roots while working on the just-decided SCOTUS case Moore v. Harper which dealt with the controversial independent state legislature theory.
Kevin: Do you have a politician or public figure who inspired your ideology and values, and why?
Jennifer: I was extremely lucky to be able to serve under former Senator Olympia Snowe when I was a fellow for the U.S. Senate Committee on Business and Entrepreneurship, and to me, she is the epitome of what all of us in the political sector should strive towards. She tirelessly served the people of Maine her entire career, she championed bipartisanship, and she always read legislation herself - there are no shortcuts! Iconic.
Kevin: On a personal note, is there any show you’re binging or a book you’re reading that the readers may find interesting?
Jennifer: This is great timing for this question since I have recently started reading again as a member of the newly formed Sumner Moms Book Club. I just finished Daisy Jones & The Six: A Novel (I give this 3.5 stars out of 5) and I’m currently watching the second season of Houses With History. But most of the time, my kids just allow Bluey to be played at our house!
Kevin: Finally, where can the readers find you on social media or listen to/read your analysis/commentary?
Jennifer: You can find my commentary on a range of topics including abortion, Republican women, SCOTUS, and presidential politics on the new CenterClip app! I’m also on Twitter at @JenPLim, LinkedIn, and occasionally Instagram @jenniplim. I can’t wait to hear from you!
I’d like to thank Jennifer again for taking the time to provide her valuable insights on politics and her career. Readers can follow Jennifer on Twitter at @JenPLim.