It seems to me senators can't get elected because they come off as uncharismatic policy wonks. True?

Question

Americans elect Governors; Nixon, Reagan, Carter, bush, far more than Senators; Dole, Kerry , Gore, Biden, ect.

Is it because Governors have a more populist appeal?


Do they speak in platitudes more than specifics?

Are we all superficial media sponges?

Why? Why? Why, I say?

**Queen: Nixon was Gov of California....and I'm talking about recent election history, not FDR era.

Answer 1

Probably because they are better known than Senators..

However... What about Johnson, Kennedy, Nixon was Senator not a governor.

FDR was Assisstant Secretary of the Navy as well as a govenor. While Ford inherited the job, he served 20 years in Congress.... Truman was a Senator....

So really Reagan, Carter and Bush are the only three who were "only" govenors...

Answer 2

Right now governors are more likely to be seen as Washington "outsiders", which the voting public likes, as opposed to "insiders" like senators. But this is not always the case: JFK, after all, was a senator, as was Warren Harding.

Answer 3

The problem with Senators is that they have long voting track records of things they supported and opposed that their opponents can comb through. Legislation is all about bargaining. You might oppose a bill, not because you're necessarily against everything in it, but because you don't like the total picture. Or, you might support something, even though you don't agree with all the details. The art of compromse.

But, it's very easy for opponents to twist compromises to make it look like the Senator is a "flip-flopper" or against something he or she is for or for something that he or she is against.

Answer 4

All of what you said but also Congressman are "compromisers" not leaders. People want a President to be a leader!

Answer 5

True also they all micromanage and for the most part are not leaders.

Answer 6

And then there is their voting record.