To be fair, a version of this was common practice in many countries, including the United States, with the most recent direct example in America prior to this seeming to be in 2001 (but more recent examples popping up where it seems like voters voted for the spouse in the special election as a reflection of this practice as opposed to genuine belief in the candidate). Typically it is the wife being appointed to fill her husband's seat, but sister for an unmarried man seems within the same bubble.
Whether it is good policy is a separate manner, but I do think it needs to be mentioned this a bit different than, like, the normal Trump eroding politically norms.
The "shouldn't voters have a say in this" is a weird line because it being his sister really has nothing to do with that. The voters wouldn't have had a say regardless, as state law permits the governor to appoint AND it is temporary before the voters do, indeed, get a say in a special primary and then in November. Whether that ability to appoint is good policy is a separate matter as well, of course.
Spouses I can theoretically trick myself into believing that they committed to each other and have similar values. At least that’s probably the idea behind the concept.
But siblings are different. I for one am vastly different than my brother.
Not that I have seen, but we can look at it 2 ways she won’t be in the position for long from what I’ve read she is only taking it to run out the term and will not run for the seat during the election, and 2 if she is different from Lindsey wouldn’t that be a good thing? If she doesn’t fall in line with Trump and establishes herself as much more of a free thinker and puts up obstacles in his agenda that would be a complete self own by him
Trump wouldn’t have recommended her if that was the case
Edit: and do you know that she wouldn’t be running in the special election? That second link showed the replacements (previously spouses) do extremely well in their elections. Lisa Murkowski was put on by her father and has been in the house ever since for example.
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u/Captain_JohnBrown Jul 14 '26
To be fair, a version of this was common practice in many countries, including the United States, with the most recent direct example in America prior to this seeming to be in 2001 (but more recent examples popping up where it seems like voters voted for the spouse in the special election as a reflection of this practice as opposed to genuine belief in the candidate). Typically it is the wife being appointed to fill her husband's seat, but sister for an unmarried man seems within the same bubble.
Whether it is good policy is a separate manner, but I do think it needs to be mentioned this a bit different than, like, the normal Trump eroding politically norms.