Political junk mail is a daily trove of nasty and negative GOP choices
Today, I received an 11” x 6” card addressed to CURRENT RESIDENT. It shows a grinning man in an orange cap and vest holding a shotgun. It includes the notation, “A+ NRA ENDORSED.”
“Senator Mike Rounds” reads the text A STRONG SUPPORTER OF YOUR 2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS -- R0UNDS FOR SENATE”
On the reverse, the message continues, citing Rounds’ A+ rating from the NRA and his opposition to anything that restricts “law-abiding citizens” ability to own and use firearms.
Several huge, colorful cards show a smiling blonde with perfect lipstick, plenty of eye shadow and eyebrow color, a low neckline and a dangling necklace to draw the observer’s attention to it. Her lush blonde hair cascades down over her shoulders in gleaming waves.
“Re-elect AMBER HULSE” it says.
Somehow, I don’t think Amber is really trying to impress an 82-year-old woman with her photographic message, though of course the address is to “Hasselstrom Household.” Later, I admit, I got another card from Amber, showing her with seriously folded arms, and a considerably more modest neckline. (One of her staff must have checked the voting lists for Hasselstroms—in short supply these days.)
Another full-color card urges me to re-elect Republican Trish Ladner. Despite her first name, Ladner looks to be a serious woman, with glasses, neatly-trimmed hair, and a businesslike suit. Her neckline is not shown but can be inferred to be modest.
Julie Frye-Mueller also has long, lush blonde hair and a modest neckline, and speaks of her “PROVEN” record, citing instances, and stating that she is a “Conservative South Dakotan.”
And here’s Dusty (no quotation marks to indicate that’s a nickname) Johnson smiling in color beside an unflattering black and white picture of Larry Rhoden and Jon Hansen. “Don’t let the tax raisers win!” admonishes the card. “Vote Dusty Johnson,” and lists his promises.
But I also received a photo of a smiling Dusty waving from the door of a small plane, and states that he “accepted luxury trips paid for by special interests and expensed (huh? Is that a word?) more than $75,000 in private charter flights to taxpayers, more than any other member of congress.”
This card further alleges that Dusty tried to block Trump’s healthcare fraud crackdown, voted to cut ICE funding, and supported killing the border wall. But this card actually gives citations for these statements!
Tim Goodwin smiles from his card, and lists the causes he is working on, managing to include schools, agriculture AND ranching (proving he knows the difference), rural communities and jobs, and notes that the Republican primary is June 2. No other ad that I’ve received indicated that the sponsor was running in a PRIMARY. (Maybe they thriftily plan to use the same cards if they advance to the general election.)
But positiveness isn’t the only way politicians try to get votes. The next card shows an exhausted woman with a child on her lap, and tells me “Hansen & Rhoden SHIFTED THE TAX BURDEN ONTO RURAL SOUTH DAKOTA. You drive into town for groceries. Tractor parts. School clothes for the kids,” showing the first awareness in these mailers of the kind of life led by the folks the cards are being sent to.
In full color, I’m shown a grinning Jon Hansen clutching a double armload of dollar bills (the advertisers aren’t being extravagant, after all!), and says, “An extreme, tax-hiking, professional politician: that’s Jon Hansen.” Details follow, and again the sources are cited.
Here’s a mailer showing a cash register that reads VOTE JUNE 2nd and says JON HANSEN VOTED TO MAKE IT ALL COST MORE, citing groceries, gas, and school supplies; the ad quotes Hansen as saying, “$100+ million out of South Dakotans’ pockets—straight to Pierre.”
And here’s one with unflattering photos of Hansen and Rhoden, and a list of their transgressions, again including citations, advising me to “Say ‘No.’”
“400+ That’s how many times Larry Rhoden voted to raise your taxes and fees,” is the allegation with a grim photograph of Rhoden.
And finally—so far—a colorful card showing a sleeping baby and the statement “Jon Hansen is coming between South Dakota couples and the children they’re praying for.” The reverse says Hansen would limit in vitro fertilization access, and again cites the source, a House bill.
On the one hand, I’m reluctantly impressed with the number of sources cited on these splashy ads, a distinct improvement from past political races, I think.
On the other, I wonder just how much money these folks are spending on a primary, preceding the actual election. And, since they are all Republicans, I wonder how well they will work together after this race is over.
Here’s a summary of my review of these very negative ads:
If the advertising card is written AGAINST a candidate, the allegations are usually in large letters, and only rarely is a source cited.
The worst available photo of the opposing candidate is used, virtually inviting the voter to judge by appearance.
Women running for office have long, flowing locks, usually blonde, and their first names appear prominently, inviting the voter to familiarity.
And some photos are doctored: I doubt if the candidate pictured with an armload of cash actually posed for that photo.
So, as all this colorful rhetoric comes at you before the Republican primary, put it aside. List the candidates and consider what you know about each.
On a separate sheet, list what you want in a person who holds the office for which you are voting.
Then look back at the candidates and decide which one meets your specifications.
South Dakota rancher Linda M. Hasselstrom writes poetry and nonfiction. She is the winner of numerous awards.
Photo: John Tsitrian
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