Mary Hughes is a political consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as the founder of Close the Gap California. Hughes was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1952 and grew up in Wilmington, Delaware. Hughes briefly practiced law before turning to politics. She moved to the Bay Area in 1984 and worked for political consultant Clint Reilly, was the Executive Director of the California Democratic Party from 1985 to 1987, formed a political consulting business with Cliff Staton in 1989 called Staton Hughes, and later formed Hughes & Company in 2009. She has consulted for many organizations and candidates, including EMILY's List, Delaine Eastin, Anna Eshoo, and Gabrielle Giffords. Hughes has also been active in organizations and studies promoting women in political leadership, including the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, Project 2012 for the Rutgers Center for American Women in Politics, and Close the Gap California. In this interview, Hughes discusses growing up in Wilmington, Delaware, and her early exposure to politics; attending Mount Holyoke from 1974 to 1977 and University of Virginia School of Law from 1977 to 1979; practicing law with Lathrop, Koontz, Righter, Clagett, Parker and Norquist; building a career in politics, including by working on John Glenn's 1984 presidential campaign; moving to the Bay Area in 1984 and attending the Democratic National Convention in San Francisco that summer; serving as Executive Director of the California Democratic Party; establishing Staton Hughes in 1989 with Cliff Staton, including their criteria for candidates and approach to political campaigning; working on campaigns for clients like Donna Hitchens, Ellen Tauscher, and Art Agnos; challenges for women candidates; the Anita Hill hearings, the 1992 Year of the Woman, and the 2018 Year of the Woman; supporting Barack Obama's 2008 candidacy for president; conducting research about recruiting women candidates, including for Project 2012; founding Close the Gap California to achieve gender parity in the State Legislature; reflections on changes in political consulting and the role of women in politics; establishing Hughes & Company in 2009; and reflections on contributions to Bay Area politics.