Many Iowans may not know that Ruth Harkin was first elected to public office before her husband, former Sen. Tom Harkin. Ruth Harkin was the first woman to become the Story County attorney, and she worked to bring more women into the profession. Her new book, “When My Husband Ran for President and Other Short Stories,” will be published in September. In it, Ruth Harkin explores her early life, children, the women’s movement and careers, culminating in her and her husband founding the Harkin Institute and the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center at Drake University. The book launch event is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. on Sept. 5 and will include remarks from Ruth Harkin and former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Marsha Ternus in the auditorium at the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, 2800 University Ave. in Des Moines.