Republican political ads here in southern New Mexico are chock full of gaslighting about what’s going on with the Republican Party and in the nation in general. Especially with one candidate in particular, Gregory G. Cunningham running for the US House of Representatives against our incumbent Democratic Congressman Gabe Vasquez.
Gaslighting, for those who might not be aware, is a form of psychological and emotional abuse where one person makes another person (or persons, as in voters) doubt their own memory, perception, or sanity.
The gaslighting abuser distorts facts or denies events to gain control and power, such that their victims begin to question their own judgment and thoughts. Common gaslighting tactics include denying another’s version of events or trivializing their feelings or concerns as unimportant.
This behavior is unfortunately highly and painfully familiar for many folks, including myself. Because if you’ve met one dangerous sociopath, you’ve met them all. They all lie profusely and blithely when they gaslight to manipulate. And, uncannily, they say exactly the same things. The tactics never waver, and rarely deviate.
Hence, when I hear a radio ad that sounds like gaslighting, I’m not confused or misinterpreting. But I am on full alert that this person might just be someone I would never want to be alone with, much less actually vote for.
Case in point: A radio ad from the aforementioned Republican ignoramus Greg Cunningham wherein he is the voice saying that gas prices and food prices are too high so we should vote for him, a Republican. He’s ostensibly saying this with a straight face, but then again he’s blathering it into a microphone where there is ostensibly no one to push back and ask if he’s really that disingenuous.
What planet does this fucking idiot live on? The gall and the hubris are gobsmacking. But that’s the point isn’t it? Distorting facts or denying events to gain control and power. Classic gaslighting sociopathic behavior.
Then again, anyone’s first clue should be that he is endorsed by the current fascist occupying the White House. And last week, supposedly House Leader but not really leading Mike Johnson trotted out to Albuquerque three hours north of here (not actually the Congressional district that Cunningham is running in), to stoop for this candidate who is billed as a business owner, an Albuquerque police officer, a Marine, and a “Man of Faith.”
At the same time I’m hearing his radio ads while driving to yoga class in Alamogordo featuring supposed voters (in actuality paid actors) spewing inane stuff like, “I usually vote Democrat, but this time I’m going to vote for Greg Cunningham because he’s a Marine.” They strive to sound breathless with awe and admiration. Seriously.
I didn’t hear anything after that because my head kind of exploded. As I saw on social media yesterday: “If you’re active duty military or a veteran supporting Trump, you’re a traitor to you oath and your nation.” Ditto with any of them running as Republicans and putting out vapid ads like this sap. A guy who thinks “faith, family, and service” means he should be a member of the US House of Representatives. Who does he plan on serving? Mike Johnson?
How any United States Marine with honor and common sense could still be part of the MAGA Republican Party, because that’s what it is, is stymying—and disgusting. And the fact that Cunningham’s political ads assume his military or police service automatically renders him qualified for national office is mystifying as well as astoundingly tone deaf.
News flash: There are actually Marines and veterans and cops who are very bad guys. We see their brutality on the news all the time, and some of us have experienced it personally. Especially with the ones who are so adept at gaslighting.
And that whole “faith” identity so ridiculously prevalent in southern New Mexico, including those running to be leaders of law enforcement like county sheriff. What does your gushingly unprofessional faith in your god, which is of course always Jesus, have to do with being a cop? Or a county commissioner? Or a congressman? How does believing in a deity make you qualified?
Which laws, if you become sheriff or a county leader or a member of Congress, do you intend to follow? Canon law or common law? Religious edict to which you claim to espouse, or actual US criminal and civil laws? Are you capable of respecting that not all of your constituents are Christian or even religious? If not, how can you do your job professionally and with regard for others? Why do you think your religious beliefs are the single most important thing a voter needs to know about you when voting for you to be in public office?
These are all questions that the media doesn’t see fit to ask, especially here in rabidly red and rife with Christian hypocrisy Otero County. Including of a Native American female candidate for sheriff who seems to think it makes her look credible to call herself a pro-life conservative Republican and proclaim that Jesus is her guy.
Do any of these candidates ever take a look at what’s happening in the US? Do they really believe that the Republican Party, which protects pedophiles and promotes greed mongering, represents the old-fashioned “conservatives” of their youth? Do they know anything about the history of the abhorrent treatment of Indigenous Americans, especially children, by those calling themselves Christians? If not, why don’t they know this, and why would anyone want to vote for someone so cluelessly naïve or flat out duplicitous?
Fact is, so-called conservatives still exist within the Republican Party when it comes to bigotry, racism, xenophobia, and misogyny that have long been the bulwark of their platform. But hubris would apparently never let these candidates in southern New Mexico face this fact.
Bottom line regarding their manipulation, especially Greg Cunningham: If you think we’re that stupid, and think your gaslighting is so cunning and clever, you might just be a narcissistic sociopath. And we have enough of those already currently in Washington, and it’s a unmitigated disaster. But sure, tell me that I should vote for some dude just because he’s a religious Marine. Please.
These posers supposedly read the room and then decide to run ads that might as well be from a world that never existed, and definitely does not exist now. They can pretend and lie all they want in their insipid campaigns, but facts are facts even if they refuse to acknowledge them. Reality doesn’t go away because you want to play dumb like its 1981.
Gas and food prices our high because the Republican president started an illegal war with Iran and instigated ridiculous tariffs against our allies, which we the people pay for. Republicans control Congress, and have done nothing to stop this. To not know this is dereliction of duty for anyone running for office. To ignore this is lazy and stupid. But to think that you can run ads and blame Democrats for it? That’s a very high level of sociopathic gaslighting. Plain and simple and downright sordid.
And your faith is yours. Not mine. Maybe become a preacher if it means that much to you, but why a congressman? Why a county commissioner or a sheriff? Because the right-wingers we already have running things here aren’t actually shining examples of your purported faith. Or hadn’t you noticed while you’re busy pretending the GOP is anything other than Guardians of Pedophiles?