A potential cautionary tale for Senator Sinema

[dsc]

In 2002, Jesse Helms retired from the Senate and Elizabeth Dole decided to run for the Senate. Her family had long standing ties to the Salsbury region of NC and she rather easily won (53.5 to 44.9). She was the Senator. Six years later, 2008, and she ran for re election. Honestly, given her and NC track record, this should have been a fairly easy race for her. But it absolutely wasn't. Yes, 2008 was a very good year for us, in NC we won a senate seat, a governorship, and carried the EC of NC. She didn't just lose, but she lost by, by far, the largest margin of all three races. Obama won, rather famously, but by 0.4%. Had our state been needed to put him over the top, we would have had a recount. The governor's race was won by 3.3%, an OK win but not exactly huge. Dole lost by 8.5%. A switch in margin of 17%. So how did this happen?

What happened to Dole. Well, she was just plain lousy at being a Senator. She never was in NC, never spoke to constituents, never answered letters, never answered phones. She was just plain absent. Every time I see Sinema refuse to engage with her constituents I think of Senator Dole and how many of us would complain about our absentee senator. If I were on her staff I might be studying Dole to see why this behavior is a bad idea.

[calimary]

1. Constituents matter. They can hire you AND fire you.

You take them for granted at your peril.

[ms liberty]

2. This. I'm in NC and remember her not being here

Unless it was for a photo op designed to make her look good.

[mahina]

3. She is telling us all that Arizona voters are not her constituents.

Her donors are.

https://represent.us/videos/

[Hortensis]

4. Another huge similarity: Both female. Dole was also Republican,

and misogyny, aversion to men losing power over women, is an even more basic fear than racism, on the right especially (but not exclusively). And just as strong among some female conservatives as among men.

It's very much to the point that white men granted black men the vote half a century before they finally extended it to even one woman.

[dsc]

5. except Dole lost to a woman

not a man. Oh, and she beat a man to get the seat. It should be noted in 2008 both the governor and the senator winners were women.

[Hortensis]

6. Good point. But being female made Dole easier to demonize,

and that people didn't have a man to vote for instead didn't change that weakness.

[dsc]

7. again she won her seat, rather easily

against a man. She got demonized for very good reason. She was an absentee senator.

[Hortensis]

8. :) That's what I mean. Hillary deleted personal emails.

What male candidates got pillaried for that?

We shouldn't argue this. You can never convince me that misogyny wasn't a serious vulnerability because it always is. Not exploiting it big time would be like a tennis player avoiding driving the ball into the opponent's far corner.

[gab13by13]

10. Wasn't Sinema just elected?

Long way to go before she has to run again.

[dsc]

11. yes she has until 2024

but frankly being absent leaves a bitter taste in people's mouths. It didn't help Dole that the person she replaced, as awful as he was, was amazing at constituent service. Helms was a horrid bastard but he was no dummy. His constituent service operation was widely acknowledged, even by people who hated his guts, as being one of the absolute best on Capitol hill.

[IronLionZion]

12. She's getting rich of this

and could care less. She'll probably find a sweet lobbying job instead of run for reelection.

[moreland01]

13. And don't forget about

former Senator Cory Gardner.

[Jon King]

14. She is a one termer and going to rake in as much $$ as possible.

She does not appear interested in the job. She knows she is a one termer and is going to make as much $$ and connections for her next career as she can. 6 years is a long time for her to make a ton of money and set herself up for her next gig.