In a blog post written Friday for NH Insider, Republican New Hampshire State Rep. Steve Vaillancourt disparaged Rep. Ann Kuster (D-NH) over her looks, claiming that she is “ugly as sin” and that she “looks more like a drag queen than most men in drag.” Vaillancourt hoped to use this blog post to boost the chances of Kuster’s Republican opponent, State Rep. Marilinda Garcia, in the race for Kuster’s Congressional seat. All it did is reveal Vaillancourt’s ugly sexism as, in his mind, the only thing that matters is which female candidate is more attractive.
The post is so unbelievably chauvinistic that at first glance it comes across as a parody. But, alas, this is not something from The Onion — this is something legitimately written by a GOP lawmaker. In his magnum opus, Vaillancourt first discusses how a candidate’s attractiveness can win that candidate a close race. He brings up John F. Kennedy defeating Richard Nixon in 1960. He then takes a dig at another New Hampshire female politician, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is facing Republican ex-Senator Scott Brown. Vaillancourt claimed that Shaheen looked like Walt Havenstein, the GOP candidate for Governor.
Vaillancourt then got down to the nitty-gritty of his piece. He pointed out how attractive Garcia is, but made sure to say her attractiveness isn’t too intimidating. (Of course, he misspelled intimidating.) After gushing over Garcia’s looks a bit longer, he pointed out how ugly Kuster is and then proceeded to tell an anecdote about drag queens.
How ugly is Annie Kuster? Again avert your eyes if you don’t want to hear it, but I actually thought of Annie Kuster last weekend when I was in Montreal. Not far from the Second Cup Coffee Shop I at which I was sipping and writing is a bar called Mados. It’s on the section of St. Catherine Street which is blocked off for pedestrians only in the summer; it’s near the Jacques Cartier Bridge. Thus, tens of thousands of Montrealers and visitors walk by Mados on their way to the fireworks displays on summer nights.
On almost any given night, standing for all to see in front of Mados is a rather attractive drag queen. People stop to pose for pictures with this Mado drag queen; other drag queens gather round because, you see, Mados is a drag queen bar…not that there’s anything wrong with that. Long live Victor Victoria; long live La Cage Aux Folles.
By now you probably know why I think of Annie Kuster whenever I walk by Mados; sad to say, but the drag queens are more atrractive [sic] than Annie Kuster….not that there’s anything wrong with that.
…
Annie Kuster looks more like a drag queen than most men in drag.
The only truly ugly thing here is the way Vaillancourt views women. He revealed himself to be a hateful misogynist who only values women for how they look. Making disgustingly critical remarks about a woman’s appearance shows what kind of man he truly is. His vile sexism wasn’t just limited to Kuster and Shaheen, either. By portraying Garcia as nothing more than a pretty face and someone to be ogled, Garcia was also affected by Vaillancourt’s chauvinism.
For Garcia’s part, she made sure to release a statement on Monday publicly denouncing Vaillancourt’s comments.
“State Rep. Vaillancourt’s recent comments about Rep. Ann Kuster are sexist and have absolutely no place in political discourse. Both Rep. Kuster and I have experienced this unfortunate reality of being a woman in politics. I hope that as time moves forward and more female candidates run for political office around the country, people will focus on the content of our ideas rather than what we wear and how we look.”
Vaillancourt is no stranger to controversy. In 2012, he had to apologize after yelling ‘Sieg Heil!’ and giving a Nazi salute to the State House’s Speaker on the floor of the House. The Speaker, fellow Republican Bill O’Brien, had just stopped debate on voter ID legislation so that it could come up for a vote.
Every time you hear from the Republican Party about how it isn’t waging a War on Women, just think about the comments from Vaillancourt. This pretty much typifies the attitude of the ‘old guard’ of the GOP.
Justin Baragona is the Managing Editor at Politicus Sports as well as Senior Editor at PoliticusUSA. He was a political writer for 411Mania.com before joining PoliticusUSA. Politically, Justin considers himself a liberal but also a realist and pragmatist. Currently, Justin lives in St. Louis, MO and is married. Besides writing, he also runs his own business after spending a number of years in the corporate world. You can follow Justin on Twitter either with his personal handle (@justinbaragona) or the Sports site’s (@PoliticusSports).
The sad thing is his constituents keep re-electing him. Seig Heil, drag queen… One wonders what he really says when the
cameras are off.
I think that Republicanism is revealing itself as a personality disorder, not so much an ideology.” — Naomi Klein
Ann Kuster:
Steve Vaillancourt:
Mitch McConnell:
You be the judge.
Yet again, a Republican makes an ass out of themselves. That’s old news at this point.
What gets me is that this comment will backfire in so many ways. What supposed to help Garcia will actually help her opponent because then people will see that ‘beauty is only skin deep’ or some sort of self affirming crap that would be perfect here.
“Republican” used to designate a party affiliation. It does not now designate *a* personality disorder, as a certain cluster of what are better described as character disorders: malignant narcissism,sociopathy, Machiavellianism, and sadism, formally designated the Dark Tetrad.
I think the thing missed was “why is he hanging out in a gay neighborhood?”
WE know there’s nothing wrong with that, but good ol GOP boy on the other hand…
Look who’s talking! Get a clue, Magoo!
Women have to look pretty to win regardless of their intelligence and capabilities. Men just have to be men, and being as unhealthy looking and just plain fat and ugly as you has never once stopped you. Certainly your social skills need a bit of work, too.
Unbelievable! Seriously; Where do they get these people? They have no ideas and no plans just insults like little children. Grow up and talk about something that matters, please. SMH!
This is coming from a guy who’s so hideous Medusa would puke at the sight of him.
He is a shallow, ignorant adolescent boy in a grown man’s body, and it’s obvious that to him, a woman should be attractive without being threatening. He also places value on women according to how attractive he thinks they are, with no regard whatsoever for the qualities that are necessary for them to effectively fulfill their responsibilities if elected to political offices.
This is just typical republican’s attitude towards women. They’ll never change — was married to one — now my ex-husband.
A woman who votes for a Republican can’t think to much of herself.
I live in New Hampshire and I can assure you that Nasty, Stupid Clowns like Steve
Vaillancourt are NOT the Exception.
This is Murica. People have the RIGHT to be as Damned Ignorant and Stupid as they want.
Do WE Really Have to Elect them to Public Office ?
Since when is a beauty contest part of one’s intellect? Mc Connell looks like a basket full of A__ Holes! Maybe we need to hold an election sOlely based on one’s APPEARANCE>>>>>>>>dah dah,,,
There was a comment on this story last night on HP, it was from Joe the nerd Ferraro.
His comment went something like this;
“this guy looks like he ATE Pete Rose”.
He indeed does.
Has that guy EVER looked in a mirror?
I’m also from New Hampshire (luckily from a different city) and this guy is just a shame factory. He made unfounded child pornography accusations against his former room mate just to get him to stop running for the chairmanship of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
I was brought up thinking that I lived in a progressive state, but this guy proves that for every step forward there’s at least one person who wants to go in the opposite direction.
Are you sure it’s not Villaincourt?
With the right make-up this man would make a dead ringer for the “Joker” in a Batman movie.. He almost makes it without make up. With that being said, usually those that make remarks like his are truly worried and are hiding their inadequacies.
Vaillancourt is too immature to run for any and all political offices. He thinks he’s still in elementary school and can get away with such childish comments as he said!
Very good question!!! this (man)has some nerve calling someone else ugly!!Not only in looks but soul and heart!
So this guy goes and hangs around gay bars in another country, admiring the attractive drag queens? Is this some kind of repetitive Repubtile joke? Don’t these A-holes see the log in their own eye? WTF, right-wing America, your representatives are supposed to mirror your individual wishes and hopes for your country. Is this really someone you agree with, someone you want speaking on your behalf, mouthing words that you, yourself, would say? I just can’t imagine…
He is a bully. How do we teach our children not to bully when our right wing political leaders are like him. And it’s like they love the cruelty and enbrace it. I really can’t ever imagine a democrat saying something so cruel and frankly, stupid. Why do people elect these jerks?
There are many in the right wing who are not beautiful women. Guess not many woman live up to this potato heads standards. What a guy. He certainly doesn’t look like an Adonis.