During a Georgia rally in October, President Donald Trump spoke about Senator Jon Ossoff’s (D-Georgia) appearance (because that’s a totally normal thing our president should do): "I don't think Ossoff is a good-looking man.” He seems to be alone in that opinion. My social media is filled with thirst edits of Ossoff, and women calling him “so f*cking hot.” Basically, some of the candidates in the upcoming midterms—the ones with spines willing to call out the despicable actions of Trump and the Republicans over the past two years—have what the kids call aura. And it’s unmistakably hot.
Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D-Michigan), who prefers to campaign in tight-fitting T-shirts while dunking all over forced gotcha questions from paid plants, is also a walking thirst trap, according to commenters. Senate candidate James Talarico’s (D-Texas) supporters have also adopted Trump’s insulting name with a heavy air of innuendo, as self-proclaimed Talafreakos. Of course standing up for what’s right has always made people hot as hell, and the midterms isn’t the only time social media’s made edits of fine politicians.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigeg have all been the focus of some very suggestive posts. And while I’ll admit that I’m not the one making these edits (though I’d say El-Sayed, in his tight T-shirts, is closest to my type), I understand the appeal.
In a recent Vogue piece, “We’re Living in a Golden Age of Hot-Guy Politicians,” writer Max Berlinger explains that while attractiveness plays a part in this country’s politics, it’s also the vigor of these political figures. But it’s not just the juxtaposition of young and old, or a ripped El-Sayed in a V-neck and a drooling, half-asleep Trump that does it for the libido of young people in this country—it also really is about the politics themselves. It’s the conviction, the honesty, the spine, the consistency, and the follow-through.
Yes, El-Sayed, Mamdani, and Ossoff are each what me and my friends like to call a “Mr. Make It Happen.” But competency is only part of the equation. The other is an unwavering and vocal support of what’s right in a time when so much wrong is normalized at a national level.
She explains that Trump is a reminder that abuse can happen on a state level—meaning that now there’s a fear of abusive men and how they can use the legal system against you. Victims of sexual assault are being villainized and systemically ignored. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs are being dismantled.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
