Laughlin, Gail

Gail Laughlin was an unsuccessful candidate for the Colorado State House of Representatives in 1910. For that race she was endorsed by the Citizens party, the Platform party, the Progressives, and the Prohibition party. She was a Progressive Party candidate for State Senator in Colorado two years later in 1912, but again was not elected. As an attorney Laughlin was active in women's rights issues, including writing the law allowing California women to serve on juries. Laughlin moved to California in 1914. In 1927 she was elected to the State House of Representatives in her home state of Maine. Ten years later Laughlin was elected to the Maine Senate and served there until 1942, when she resigned to take the state job of Reporter of Decisions.
Laughlin was born and raised in Robbinston, Maine. She obtained a law degree from Cornell University in 1898 and started a solo practice with a focus on women's issues. In the course of her life she held many professional positions  including work for the U.S. Industrial Commission and president of the National Federation of Business.  She was an early member of the Congressional Union. When she returned to her home state of Maine Laughlin succeeded at being elected to the state house of representatives in 1926, first serving in that legislative body and then winning a seat in the state senate.  She sponsored bills there that focused on women's issues including the age of marriage, equal work hours and wages , and married women's property rights. She was the partner of Dr. Mary Austin Sperry until Sperry's death,