Erin Maye Quade Announces Primary Run After Being Forced To Withdraw While Going Into Labor At Convention
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A candidate for the Minnesota State Senate got national attention when she went into labor during a nominating convention last month.
Erin Maye Quade was immediately forced to withdraw her candidacy. But Monday, she announced her campaign to run in the Aug. 9 primary.
WCCO's Esme Murphy spoke Monday with Quade, who also wants to raise awareness about the potentially deadly pregnancy disorder she experienced.
"A lot of women are probably saying right now, 'How the heck did she do it?'" Murphy said.
"I said if I wasn't actively pushing a baby out, I was going to be [at the convention]," Maye Quade said.
Alyce Maye Quade said she may have appeared to be calm when her wife began to wince in pain while making a speech at the convention, but that wasn't the case.
"On the inside I was like, 'Do I run up? Do I try to grab her? Is she gonna have a contraction right now?'" Alyce Maye Quade said. "So I was definitely freaking out."
But suddenly, Erin withdrew her nomination and rushed to hospital.
"Why didn't anybody at the convention say, 'This woman is in labor, we've got to stop this?'" Murphy said.
"You know, that's a good question," Maye Quade said.
Six hours later, baby Hattie was born.
"Just the love of our life," she said.
Four days later, Maye Quade's life could have ended.
"A $25 blood pressure cuff from Amazon saved my life," she said.
Her blood pressure had soared. She was hospitalized with postpartum preeclampsia -- a potentially fatal hypertensive disorder affecting 5% to 8% of all pregnancies. Women of color are three times at risk.
"My blood pressure was stellar throughout the entire pregnancy," she said.
The only symptom was a slight swelling in her hands. Maye Quade says as she campaigns, she will push for better monitoring of women before and after pregnancy, as well as the distribution of blood pressure cuffs.
"If it can save my life, I hope it can save even one more person's life, too," Maye Quade said.
The DFL Party is now looking at changing the rules to easily postpone an endorsement if there is a medical emergency.
Maye Quade will be facing the DFL nominee, Justin Emmerich, in the August primary. Emmerich says he's looking forward to earning voter support in the coming weeks.
