Can a single woman enter politics without her dating life being invaded?
Apparently not.
In a letter to the Watertown Daily Times, Michael Flynn asks Republican New York congressional candidate Elise Stefanik whether she has “a private relationship” with anyone.
Flynn, who writes that he is a supporter of Stefanik’s Democratic opponent in the 21st Congressional district, Aaron Woolf, argues that candidates should disclose all personal relationships for the voters.
“I don’t think this falls under the heading of prying eyes; it’s an indicator of what you are about as a person and candidate for congressional office,” Flynn wrote.
Flynn chastises Watertown Mayor Jeff Graham for defending Stefanik and seeking to make her personal life a campaign issue. And by “make this a campaign issue,” Flynn means that the mayor is calling the request absurd.
Flynn is the one making this a campaign issue, and he claims the mayor is “trying to sidetrack the campaign from the issues” — which is precisely what Flynn is doing by prying into Stefanik’s personal life.
Would Flynn be asking this question of a successful, single man running for office? He did not immediately respond to a Washington Examiner request for comment.
Stefanik is not the only single woman to have her dating life examined. Earlier this year, Oregon Senate candidate Monica Wehby had her personal life dredged up by Democrats and Politico over a bad breakup that happened years ago.
Wehby was accused of “stalking” her ex-boyfriend after they broke up in 2013. He claims he overreacted and considered getting a protective order against Wehby — but he didn’t. The two are now friends, and Wehby didn’t even know her ex filed a report against her until Politico unearthed it.
If Wehby were not a single woman, would this have even been an issue?
