Competitiveness is a cornerstone of American politics, so much so that it is sometimes called a blood sport. And, like any competition, there are always winners and losers.
Fox News Digital takes a look at some of the biggest political losers of 2023.
Lori Lightfoot
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s re-election campaign, which ended with her defeat by current Mayor Brandon Johnson, was marked by several self-inflicted wounds.
The former Democratic mayor lambasted city officials over the city’s rising violent crime rate. Lightfoot has also faced bipartisan blowback for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including clashes with progressives and teachers unions.
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Said Ex-Rep. George Santos, Rep. Rashida Tlaib and ex-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (Associated Press)
Glenn Youngkin
Youngkin’s lopsided 2021 victory over former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe set him on the path to political stardom. The Republican governor committed to parental rights was almost immediately mentioned as a future presidential candidate, though possibly as early as 2024.
But he staked his national reputation on Republicans who won the entire Virginia legislature in November, even suggesting a 15-week abortion limit was on the table if the commonwealth went red.
However, Democrats ended up flipping the Virginia House of Delegates while retaining control of the state Senate.
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Susanna Gibson
One Virginia Democrat who didn’t fare well in the latest election cycle, however, was Gibson, the nurse practitioner whose promising campaign for a swing seat in the House of Delegates was derailed by revelations made weeks before Election Day.
The Washington Post first reported that Gibson and his wife broadcast sex acts on social media, receiving tips in exchange for lewd requests.
He lost the Richmond-area seat by less than 1,000 votes.
Virginia legislative candidate Susanna Gibson addresses the Women’s Summit in Virginia Beach, Va., in September 2022. (Neil Smith via AP)
Rashida Tlaib
Rep. Tlaib, D-Mich., the only Palestinian-American in Congress, has long been a critical voice against the Israeli government, part of a small but growing faction of progressives who oppose Democrats’ traditional pro-Israel stance. .
However, he distanced himself this year after Hamas’s October 7 surprise attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military response, which went further than most in his reaction to the war in Gaza.
His response to the crisis resulted in a formal impeachment of the House along bipartisan lines in November.
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George Santos
Former House Rep. George Santos, RN.Y., has dominated headlines with an array of colorful scandals, from federal charges involving wire fraud to allegations that he was responsible for the death of a veteran’s dog. military because of cancer.
Santos’ backstory unraveled quickly when he got to Congress, and he was found to have lied about his college degree, work and ancestry.
But criminal charges related to the misuse of campaign funds were the final nail in the coffin for Santos’ House career, and he was ousted by a two-thirds majority vote on December 1.
President Biden speaks at an event at the National Institutes of Health on December 14, 2023. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Joe Biden
This year has seen the country’s octogenarian commander in chief face an impeachment inquiry as he continues to struggle with low poll numbers.
Despite traveling the country touting major victories, primarily his bipartisan infrastructure bill, Biden is still working to convince voters he’s fit for another four years in the White House.
In addition to questions about his age and whether he benefited from his role as vice president, Biden is also facing progressive anger over his support for Israel in its war with Hamas.
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It culminated with early voter polls showing bleak forecasts for his re-election prospects over the past few weeks.
Kevin McCarthy
McCarthy began his 2023 with a marathon of 15 rounds of voting over three days, watching the world battle his way through a divided House GOP Conference to ultimately win the speaker’s mustache.
Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., holds a news conference at the US Capitol July 25, 2023 (Getty Images)
On December 14, McCarthy gave his final speech to a House floor packed with less than a dozen lawmakers, mostly his allies.
He told reporters that day it was a “bittersweet” end to his career in Congress, which saw him make history in October as the first ousted speaker of the House. He announced in December that he was leaving Congress for good.
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McCarthy put it down to personal vendettas in a final exit interview with reporters that day, but he remained optimistic.
“I loved every minute, good or bad,” he said.
But as he made Fox News Digital’s list of political losers in 2023, McCarthy may rise again.
He intends to remain a significant figure in the GOP fundraising sphere and will almost certainly be a hot commodity in Washington, DC, for some time. He also does not rule out returning to the government.
