NH Republican Calls for Swimsuit Competition to Decide Congressional Race

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire – Republican State Representative Steve Vaillancourt recently took to a political blog to explain why the current race for Congress between Democratic Representative Ann McLane Kuster and New Hampshire State Representative Marilinda Garcia will come down to which one is prettier. Vaillancourt suggested that since voters will want to vote for the more attractive woman, the two candidates should just hold a swimsuit competition to ‘show off the whole package.’

“Let’s be honest. Does anyone not believe that Congressman Annie Kuster is as ugly as sin? And I hope I haven’t offended sin,” wrote Vaillancourt on NH Insider, a blog dedicated to New Hampshire politics. “Get her in a swimsuit and people will be hurling in the aisles.”

In comparison, said Vaillancourt, Republican challenger Garcia is “one of the most attractive women on the political scene anywhere. Not so attractive as to be intimidating, but truly attractive. We’re talking smoking. I don’t know why she doesn’t just campaign in a bikini 24/7.”

Vaillancourt then compared Kuster to a drag queen, saying, “How ugly is Annie Kuster?… drag queens are more attractive than Annie Kuster… not that there’s anything wrong with that. Annie Kuster looks more like a drag queen than most men in drag.”

At the top of his post, Vaillancourt gave readers a warning. “The subject matter, although very real, may prove uncomfortable for some of my more sensitive readers,” Garcia wrote. “ Not as uncomfortable as a picture of Annie Kuster in a two-piece, but pretty uncomfortable.”

Garcia refused to stand behind her fellow Republican, calling him out for his “sexist” comments. “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,” she said. “That being said, I so totally rock a bikini.”

In a follow-up post, Vaillancourt doubled down on his suggestion. “Facts are facts, and Kuster is one ugly woman. Put her and Garcia in bikinis and stand them next to each other, this race is over,” he said. “In fact, why stop there? Let ‘em go topless. Who doesn’t want to see Garcia’s boobs?”