the design conservative | tdc

an outsider’s view: sarah palin endorses carly fiorina

Today, via Facebook, Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Carly Fiorina in the race for California’s senate seat currently occupied by Barbara “You Better Call Me ‘Senator’” Boxer.  Needless to say, the online universe (especially Twitter) is in quite a tizzy because many conservatives support the other strong Republican candidate, Chuck Devore, and do not agree with Governor Palin’s decision.

Frankly, I don’t know a whole lot about Ms. Fiorina versus Mr. Devore, other than what I see go by in the social media-sphere.  But, in reading Governor Palin’s note about her endorsement of Fiorina, I have a couple of observations. 

In part, the Governor’s note reads:

Carly is the Commonsense Conservative that California needs and our country could sure use in these trying times. Most importantly, she’s running for the right reasons. She has an understanding that is sorely lacking in D.C. She’s not a career politician. She’s a businesswoman who has run a major corporation. She knows how to really incentivize job creation. Her fiscal conservatism is rooted in real life experience. She knows that when government grows, the private sector shrinks under the burden of debt and deficits. We can trust Carly to do the right thing for America’s economy and to make the principled decisions she has throughout her professional career.

The focus on fiscal conservatism, business experience, and life experience are indications that Governor Palin:

1. Weighted fiscal concerns and real-world knowledge quite heavily in making her decision to endorse Fiorina.


2. Is making an effort to support a talented team of individuals to take on Washington, D.C.  Each of the people she has publicly supported has his or her own strong skillset that will add value to the political discourse that shapes our policies.  While in office, Governor Palin demonstrated the fact she evaluates people based on the expertise they have to offer to the task on hand.  As governor, she didn’t require that everyone in her administration with agree her on every issue.  That philosophy got a lot done in Alaska.


3. Is as courageous as ever.  She had to have known the backlash that would come from the Fiorina endorsement, and she did it anyway.  Agree with her decision or not; but, once again, Governor Palin put her political capital at risk to do what she thinks is right.  How many politicians ever do that, let alone with the frequency that Governor Palin is willing to?

It will be interesting to see how this endorsement, and those to come, play out during the election cycle.  On the one hand, Governor Palin inspires cheers and kudos for endorsing veterans in their respective races for congress (including conservative rock star, Allen West); and on the other hand, she stirs up controversy with her support of Fiorina and Rand Paul (R-KY).  What are we to make of this?

Well, this outsider can only draw conclusions from the evidence presented, and that evidence indicates that Governor Palin continues to prove that she is perhaps the most unconventional politician to hit the U.S. stage in generations.  A fact that drives those on the Left and (per today’s chatter) the Right absolutely batty.

While we all continue to discuss the merits of Governor Palin’s endorsement strategies, let’s remember to thoroughly research the candidates we are arguing about, and then make a donation or volunteer for those who represent our values.

Most importantly, though, let’s all remember to get out the vote.  Ultimately, those are the only endorsements that will really count.

- tdc