Valley Republican Rep. Shelley Hughes, who’s running for reelection, is known for being kind of funny, in a weird kind of way. Some might remember that she made national headlines last session for calling breast feeding “sexy.” Anyway, here’s one of her homespun campaign ads, which actually made me laugh, in a real way.
One of the girls is Shelley’s daughter. Looks like she wanted to help mom out and contributed her time and creativity—why? Because she loves her mother dearly and wants to see her succeed.
I know Shelley. I like Shelley. I think she’s got tremendous potential. I don’t always agree with her, but I respect her enough to say to these people below: “Knock it off.”
This Jason guy sounds like a very unhappy and angry man. Sounds mostly like someone from her opponents campaign, or mmaybe her opponent himself! I’m a regular reader of Amanda Coyne’s blog. She calls it the way she sees it. She’s fair and has integrity. Attacking her, hugely negates your argument and is even more indicative of your political judgement. Coyne has been both critical and applauding of Rep. Hughes. She use to spell her name wrong even. Regardless if you support someone from Europe or someone from the Valley, its hard to not laugh when you see this ad. It is a real break from the negativity of many of the ads out there. The only negativiity here is yours. Where’e LaFrance’s ad? In the meanwhile, Jason you really need to quit making an ass of yourself. There is medication to treat obessive compulsive disorder you know.
If facts matter to you then I suggest you check them again. Show me where Shelley has suggested we ever touch the PFD for anything. I recommend doing your own research before spouting off tag lines you hear in ads on the radio/tv. I also see you chose not to “refute any of my points” so I will assume you either agree with the fact that candidates backed by the Democratic Party running on a fiscally conservative platform is a contradiction in itself, or that you are contacting said candidates now in hopes that they will provide you with their plan to increase spending AND cut the budget at the same time. Vote for a candidate that has proven to be effective in the Legislature, not one that has mastered the art of dancing around answers to questions that matter.
Unfortunately for Ms. Hughes, facts matter. She has voted for the largest budgets in state history. She is spending us into the poor house and she even suggested that PFDs may be used in the future to deal with lack of funding. She can pretend to be fiscally conservative, but, again, facts matter.
Of course, you can’t be bothered to refute any of my points. I accurately captured who Shelley is as a public official. Her policies have been a disaster for Palmer. You are right that she is not solely responsible for the fiscal crisis we find ourselves in. She hasn’t even shown leadership on this issue. She is more like a sheep, following along with the other members of her caucus, doing what she is told at the expense of her constituents. And yes, my name is Jason. And yes, I was born and raised in Palmer. And yes, Shelley Hughes needs to be replaced by someone who will show true leadership in reigning in the budget and the overspending that Hughes votes for.
I’d like to hear your explanation as to how you believe these self proclaimed “fiscally conservative” candidates coming out of the woodwork are going to fully fund the formula education spending (yes, including adjustments for inflation, which will drastically increase deficit spending) and yet somehow significantly cut the budget at the same time? Diversifying our education system and providing new ways for students to thrive in their learning environment is the answer to our state’s education woes. We need to engage families in the process of getting the best out of our young people in the classroom. Dumping money into a BSA increase is not the answer.
Yes, it’s easy to see that the last two budgets have been the largest in our state’s history, but if you’re trying to say increasing funding for the two largest draws on the budget (Health and Human Services operations and Education) is going to bring us back into the black, then you have no right to claim that anyone is “masquerading as a fiscal conservative.” I’m sick of hearing about the “Taj MaHawker” and other one time capital funding projects being the primary contributors to our state’s budgetary problems. I’d like to see candidates from the left explain where they will cut our Agency Operations budget, where the long term spending occurs. All I’ve heard thus far from candidates from the is “I’m scared to death of this” and “We can do better!” How about an explanation as to how you plan to make that happen?
Shelley Hughes is the only fiscal conservative running for the House District 11 seat, don’t believe the rhetoric filtering down from the DNC. With over $2 billion cut from the budget in the last two years, we’ve made a good start but there’s clearly far more to accomplish. Send Shelley back to Juneau!
Jason or should I say Pete LaFrance, you claim to know so much about her yet you probably haven’t met her, talked to her or even been to an event in the same room with her. Where do you get your information? Amanda’s blog? The Mudflats? As far as your claim that she’s somehow personally responsible for the entire state’s financial issues, how about you look at how everyone of your democrat buddies voted? The only ridiculous thing here is you getting huffy puffy over a humorous video to break up the backstabbing political ads that are running all the time right now. Shelley Hughes is getting my vote. At least I know she’s been in Alaska the past 30 years, raised her kids in the Valley, has been a supporter of the arts, military families, and gives generously of her time, resources and self for great causes like the March of Dimes. She takes her job seriously despite what you and Sandra claim to know about her, yet have never met her nor care to go to unbiased sources to get your info. Have a jolly good time chiming in with more comments to spew negativity at this woman who obviously impressed the Governor and others to be appointed to the seat in the first place. The video you commented on was supposed to have nothing to do with talking about heavy political issues. Duh. It was meant to give people a break from the crap that happens during campaign season. Sir, you just can’t let go of the fact that a great candidate wanted to do something different — gasp — oh my word, and make people smile? Take your negativity to the polls next week and vote for someone else if you feel that strongly about this candidate.
Actually the breastfeeding is sexy issue is really quite genius from a marketing perspective. It’s great seeing a woman in public office support Alaska women in being able to feed their little ones. As some (like you) gasp in horror of the thought that breastfeeding was tagged with the word sexy…well it caught media attention and brought the issue to the public. Either you find the word sexy itself offensive or you find breastfeeding offensive. Don’t know how you can call yourself a feminist/democrat and bash breastfeeding. That’s your right to vote for someone else but I’m going to vote for Shelley Hughes. At least she’s the honest candidate in the race for district 11. Sandra, are you even registered to vote for that district? Or are you another one of Amanda’s Anchorage leftist pals?
Well Valley Voter, maybe we in other parts of the state like to see our female candidates take public office a bit more seriously. I vote for women, like I do for men, when I feel they are the best qualified. I do have to admit watching her say breastfeeding is sexy, which is not what women are pursuing, formed a very strong opinion of her as not serious. I will have to say, it takes all kinds.
I know all about this candidate. I know that she believes that big government should interfere in people’s most personal rights and decisions. I know that she believes government can tell a woman what to do with her body. I know she believes that government has the right to tell people who they can and cannot marry. I know she is so ignorant that she lacks any basic knowledge of how inflation works especially as it relates to school budgets and the minimum wage. I know she masquerades as a fiscal conservative while supporting the largest budgets in state history and creating record deficits. I know that facts, logic and sound reasoning mean little to her when they conflict with her personal belief system. I know that she only represents constituents who agree with her. And I know that this ad is ridiculous as it does nothing to deal with the fiscal mess that Shelley and her caucus are creating in this state. Being a woman does not make you a friend to women. Fighting for issues important to women does. She doesn’t do this, and I assume neither do you.
You can do whatever you want with your body, just don’t ask me to pay for it. Deal?
Sandra, from one woman to the other, calling a lady ditzy is the problem with people like you. You’re the reason women are outnumbered in government. Instead of calling women names like that (without even knowing the candidate obviously), how about encouraging people like Shelley Hughes that has served Alaska in many roles, not just this recent house seat? What about supporting any woman running for office regardless of political affiliation by not being ignorant yourself and calling a candidate ditzy or any other negative name? You ma’am clearly did not see the humor in the video and did not recognize Shelley’s ability to bring a little joy during this campaign season.
Jason, as a man I’m sure you know what women want and exactly how they feel about other people telling them to do with their own bodies. Please, here you are replying to a fun, light hearted video in a vicious, rude and callous way claiming to know Mrs. Hughes. Have you actually taken the time to get to know this candidate? She is a huge supporter of women being strong and capable to take care of their own bodies, not relying of big government to take care of them. As a woman, I find your comment not one bit funny as there are good, hardworking people like Shelley representing the valley. Think you can do better Jason? Run for a political seat and see how you do. I bet you wouldn’t get the awesome support that Mrs. Hughes has from thousands of people who voted for her two years ago and the thousands planning to vote for her again next week.
ooops, meant inaccurate.
I find this all very amusing. So far Representative Hughes has been called “ditzy”, “very astute”, “weirdly funny”, “without depth” and stuck in “prayer circle and bible quotes”. All of these vary widely as descriptors and expose a depth of character in their recipient as assessed by this “public’s” impressions of Shelley.
As someone who has known her more closely than can I take the time to get to know most people, these impressions are pretty accurate. But, “without depth?” Nope. She is very analytical and works to understand all sides and motivations on any issues with which she is presented, especially something she publicly presents.
“Prayer circle and bible quotes?”
Nope. I’ve been in the car with her for hundreds of miles and not once did I hear a bible quote. Even on some very controversial social issues. She definitely has a deep and abiding faith and I’ve never heard her proselytize or preach.
Countering misconceptions about other people, discarding stereotypes, recognizing the value in each person’s perspective, these are only some of the attributes I appreciate and applaud in Shelley. Her excellent sense of humor, though subtle and often self-deprecating, is one she has kindly shared by posting a video we can all enjoy during this generally virulent and vicious (on all sides) campaign cycle. When she is publicly attacked, as she has been here and elsewhere, she generally ignores it. Even when others want to “slam” the person responsible.
Regardless of your opinion on her political stance, when you personally attack a friend of mine whom I truly respect in all ways, I just have to step forward and say, you are demonstrating your own smallness of mind.
Hughes is ridiculous. Like this ad. She is one of the most ignorant and soulless people in the legislature. This is the second time Amanda Coyne has advertised for Hughes on her blog. Clearly, Coyne is incredibly biased for some reason. Maybe she likes women legislators who want to tell other women what to do with their bodies?
well, I for one kind of liked it. As compared to all the other crapola stuffing my mailbox and grinding along on the television. To tell the truth, I wonder if she is as sick of that kind of crap as the rest of us are? I think there is a very clear message she is conveying in that add and I’m pretty sure every viewer got the message.
“I Get it.”
“I’m not like them”
Actually a very astute piece of work considering that right now she has to compete against millions of dollars of political marketing.
Mae, alienating lots of people through ridicule and snark isnt going to attract open minded people to the Ds. Not sure if you care. But this comment and many like them from you and others – especially on the ADN website – are annoying. The mode of discourse of too many on the left is to ignore facts, ridicule, invent motives (e.g. stooge of big oil), demonize, and try to sound clever. I wonder if the Ds in this state would have more luck if their supporters engaged the public in a different way. And please don’t misunderstand me – there are many right wing jackasses out there, way too many. But I rarely see thoughtful, balanced, and informed comments from Ds on ADN stories or on this site. I wonder if it is counter productive.
And that folks, is about as much depth of thought, your going to get out of Hughes.
Unless your in a prayer circle and biblical quotes is your thing.
Very ditzy like the candidate.
Hilarious. You could have eliminated the sexism by including the senate candidate Bill Stoltze wearing his cowboy boots and cowboy hat.