Ms. Cahill for Congress

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.