We would have skipped this tweet if it weren’t for the graphic they picked to go with it. There on one stage are New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former first lady Hillary Clinton. The story is about Hochul being down in the polls against male candidates and how so many are saying, as they often do with female candidates like Harris and Clinton, that it’s a “likability” issue. Is it as simple as misogyny that Hochul’s in trouble in New York? It’s not hurting Kari Lake.
The first woman governor of New York is trailing among men, and political consultants said this is a very familiar “likeability” issue.
https://t.co/m92qTDwmtt— Jeff Coltin (@JCColtin) November 4, 2022
Jeff Coltin writes:
Gender is one of many factors in the governor’s race – but it could be a big one. Gov. Kathy Hochul campaigning with Hillary Clinton yesterday got some people in the political world talking about whether Hochul – in her bid to be the first woman elected governor – is struggling with the same gender-related “likability” issues that may have contributed to Clinton’s defeat in the 2016 presidential race.
“I think it really goes to an unconscious bias,” said one woman in politics, who asked for anonymity because she wasn’t authorized to speak for her employer. “I think she’s much more likable than Hillary Clinton, but in an election where crime and public safety is the No. 1 issue, does it hurt her where she’s a woman, and not an aggressive man? Yes.”
So is being a woman hurting Hochul at the polls? “That’s not the question, that’s a given,” said political consultant Alexis Grenell, who’s written extensively about gender and politics. “Zeldin has been attacking her for her lack of leadership. Women are more vulnerable to this kind of attack because every piece of data we have shows that the qualities and adjectives we associate with the leadership concept are coded as male.”
We trust anyone who’s “written extensively about gender and politics.”
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It’ll be really funny to revisit this if Hochul loses NY and Kari Lake wins AZ. If we are ignoring the fact that Hochul is bad at her job, this result would demonstrate that sexism is primarily a Democrat problem.
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) November 5, 2022
There is just an infinite amount of journos to dunk in this week. Does anyone think before they publish this stuff?
— Josh__Seattle (@Josh__Seattle) November 4, 2022
What is a woman?
— Rob Smith 🇺🇸 (@robsmithonline) November 5, 2022
She was a career Albany machine politician who was selected by Cuomo because there was no chance of her outshining him. Then, by default she ended up in to top job…and her many shortfalls became magnified.
— CanLen 🕙 (@CandiceLen) November 5, 2022
Think it might have more to do with stuff like this Mr. "Reporter" pic.twitter.com/DxjfnLNsNn
— Nah Bruh (@Queso_Matador) November 4, 2022
Maybe she's just a bad candidate.
— Firedog, Ph.D. (@DoctorBarkanine) November 5, 2022
They don't like her because she's awful at her job.
That has nothing to do with sexism.
She's not going to sleep with you bro.
— Kevin Barnard (@KevyB1990) November 5, 2022
Journalists always write articles like this because of their certainty that the leftist candidate's unfavorability could never be due to their policies.
— My Three Sons (@MyThreeSons132) November 5, 2022
Kari Lake seems pretty popular with the guys
— Dave (@Dave16901872) November 5, 2022
All three of those women on stage are disliked for their politics and lack of character, not their gender.
— 🐾 Suzy 🐾 (@scout_nj) November 5, 2022
And the cackling. Is that misogynistic? Then so be it. It’s the cackling.
Now do Kari Lake. Who is beloved. It’s not gender bias, it’s bias against unlikeable jerks.
— HammerDownHanna 🇺🇸 (@Hammerdownhanna) November 5, 2022
How disgusting of you. This gender thing isn’t the issue, it’s her policies.
— Bree (@Bree000007) November 5, 2022
You guys should stick with this.
Please keep it up through 2024.— Judge Smails (@JSmails) November 5, 2022
Maybe it's the "likeability" of her policies?
— Why Is Everything Stupid? (@KyleSouther1) November 5, 2022
Have you considered the possibility that she ran a lazy campaign, demanded that Republicans leave the state, ignored the concerns of her constituents and clung to lockdowns as a religion? No? Must be misogyny.
— Fergus (@Fergus57399950) November 5, 2022
3 of the most unlikeable women in history in that photo. Wow, just wow.
— Larson Farms (@LarsonFarms) November 5, 2022
Yes, she had an opportunity to be popular and likable after Cuomo, but she came right out of the gate with the worst possible look: authoritarian, hard left, cruel, anti-constitution.
— Codpiece of Doom (@Citizen010101) November 5, 2022
Wrong answer. Thanks for playing.
— Mega MAGAtron™️ (@TheAdrock13) November 5, 2022
So being smug and dismissive of major problems in her state is not endearing to the public.🤔🤦♂️😂
— Dapperdan68 (@dapperdan68) November 5, 2022
She's awful. All you need to know.
— Marty Morahan (@MartinMorahan) November 5, 2022
What would they have put in this space if Hochul were ahead in the polls by a comfortable margin?
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Related:
The look on NY Gov. Hochul’s face when an MSNBC host called out her crime gaslighting is priceless https://t.co/dkG18rcGSZ
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) November 5, 2022
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