DENVER -- In the upstairs room of a restaurant near the Colorado Convention Center Tuesday, a group of female delegates to the Democratic National Convention met to discuss the organization to which they belong - one they hope will become a new power in politics, both in Arizona and nationwide.

Emerge, founded in California in 2002, is a group that strives to "identify, educate and inspire Democratic women who want to pursue elective office at the local and state level." It offers training in "all aspects" of political campaigning, from fundraising to public speaking to Internet outreach.

The Arizona chapter was established in 2004, and since then has produced a number of successful graduates, as evidenced by the half-dozen or so members of the Arizona delegation who entered politics via Emerge training.

"Emerge women all ran a campaign to become a delegate, and they were all successful in their efforts," said Dana Kennedy, a delegate who is executive director of the Arizona branch. 

Kennedy said the strategy Emerge employs starts with helping its alumnae gain leadership positions within the local and state Democratic parties, with the eventual goal of getting Emerge women elected to public office. She pointed to former Arizona Rep. Lena Saradnik (D-Tucson) as its "most famous graduate," and Arizona Democratic Party 1st Vice Chair Donna Branch-Gilby as its "most successful" in terms of their model.

Emerge specializes in helping women who haven't been previously engaged in the political process get the background they need to become players in Democratic politics. "We train them for lower-level positions so they can rise up the chain," said Kennedy.

"I wasn't involved in politics before," said Katie Hobbs, another Arizona delegate, who went through the six-month training in 2004.

Now Hobbs is the chair of the Legislative District 15 Democrats, and is eyeing a run in 2010 for the state Legislature. She hopes to try for the seat currently held by state Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Phoenix), who is expected to run for the Arizona Senate when current LD15 senator Ken Cheuvront (D-Phoenix) terms out in two years.

That is the sort of ambition Emerge fosters, and stories like Hobbs's are the ones Dana Kennedy hopes her organization can continue to replicate. She said the sort of training Emerge provides is vital for women who are unsure of how to enter politics.

"If you're going to run for office, you just don't wake up and run for office," Kennedy said.