Lew, people occasionally vote for the better candidate, but they at least as often vote for the lesser candidate. Look at Massachusetts, a state with one of the better public education systems. Scott Brown ran an excellent campaign and, for the six weeks, was able to hide the self-contradictions in his stances. Martha Coakley, who also has some contradictions, but, all in all, would support positions that more Bay Staters hold, ran a TERRIBLE campaign and lost.
If that can happen in Massachusetts, then voters can be swayed by prevarications & glitz in other places, too.
Lew, people occasionally vote for the better candidate, but they at least as often vote for the lesser candidate. Look at Massachusetts, a state with one of the better public education systems. Scott Brown ran an excellent campaign and, for the six weeks, was able to hide the self-contradictions in his stances. Martha Coakley, who also has some contradictions, but, all in all, would support positions that more Bay Staters hold, ran a TERRIBLE campaign and lost.
If that can happen in Massachusetts, then voters can be swayed by prevarications & glitz in other places, too.