Heidi Mendoza should be measured up to the same standards as the Kakampink’s vilification of the bobotante when Rodrigo Duterte or Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. won. That is, the meaning of her campaign should be measured up against an imagined population whose values do not align with the Dilawan disente or the Tapat Kakampink. After all, if the popular elections is a numbers gain, this imagined population that they vilify are, in their heads, the ones that gave Duterte and Marcos Jr. their landslide wins.
If we are to believe the bourgeois assumption about the patterns that led to the election of the incumbent government (well, that is if popular elections are indeed expressive of the choice of the populace, and not – as the 2004 Hello Garci scandal have shown us – a game where anyone can win if they just throw money where it matters) Heidi Mendoza’s just earned herself more voters due to her bigotry against the LGBTQ community. While current senator Risa Hontiveros expresses her support to her despite the issue, it is not as if Mendoza herself is a politician Hontiveros. One Risa Hontiveros is bad enough, two would be unthinkably horrendous.
While Mendoza’s response – that her disagreement over same-sex marriage and SOGIE law resides in her mission to combat the existing system that results to the conditions of intolerance against the LGBTQ community – may exude some sort of revolutionary rhetoric, responses seem to not appease those who are expecting a more progressive stance on the matter. But perhaps, it will be sound to those who also think that the current political sphere is as corrupt as it is, whether it be from the liberals or those conservatives.
This current line of candidates from the Liberals seem to fit well into a transition towards neoconservativism. We are now reaching a point of Thatcherite no-alternative landscape but in the spirit of Bongbong Marcos’ unity. After all, wasn’t it senatorial-returnee-hopeful Bam Aquino who declared themselves not among the opposition and are looking forward to help with the Marcos, Jr. administration.
Mendoza’s seemingly enlightened response as if she traces a progressive cognitive mapping, while subscribing to populist-reactionary stances, is the very ideal of a neoconservative. A seemingly fresh figure with old and safe positions. Someone with both credentials, reputation, and just enough pocket of traditional politics.
With just a little push more to the right of your imaginary political spectrum, Heidi Mendoza may just have her senatorial seat in the bag. Contrary to the tantrum of the kakampink, these progressive cancelling out Mendoza from their slate will not turn her vote to other candidates more bigoted as Mendoza. She might just win alongside Bong Revilla Jr. We might be looking at a new spate of bigot senators! Look, kakampinks, at this point, your imagined bobotantes are on your side.
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