(RepublicanNews.org) – Politicians in contested battles have to please voters with their policy positions, but they also have to be seen to applaud the correct things.
That was the message from Arizona Democratic representative Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat who wants to take Independent Kyrsten Sinema’s Senate seat in the 2024 elections.
In a statement released minutes after President Biden’s February 7th State of the Union speech, Gallego claimed Sinema did not show enough applause for Biden when the President spoke on Medicare and Social Security.
The statement was meant to imply that Sinema didn’t care about America’s elderly.
“Not clapping for our seniors getting the Social Security payments they need?” the statement asked, rhetorically.
Sinema’s “silence” spoke louder than her words, Gallego’s statement continued.
Several media outlets have noted that Sinema can be seen on video clapping in response to several policy proposals Biden made to lower the cost of insulin and other prescription drugs.
In an age where almost no voters expect politicians to tell the truth, it is unlikely that appeals to objective reality will influence the behavior of those seeking office.
Gallego announced a run for the US Senate from Arizona in 2024 after months of hinting that he wanted to unseat Sinema.
However, it is not just her direct political challengers who are unhappy with Sinema. Democratic voters were taken aback when the former Democrat switched her party affiliation to Independent in December, 2022. Sinema cited overzealous partisanship and increasingly radical ideas in the Democratic party as the reason she made the move.
Both progressives and Democrats were angered by Sinema’s party switch, but they were already displeased with her for failing to go along with many of President Biden’s legislative packages.
But it is Gallego who most consistently goes after his rival, accusing her of abandoning her campaign promises. Gallego’s statement said Sinema pledged to lower prescription drug costs for Americans, but that she quickly cozied up to “Big Pharma” after winning her seat.
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