In 2009, Republican state senator Karin Housley, compared First Lady Michelle Obama to a “chimp” on Facebook — now she’s running to represent Minnesota as a U.S. Senator.
On a Facebook post in April of 2009, Housley used racist innuendo when she criticized Mrs. Obama’s posture during a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II, according to HuffPost.
“Michelle is soooo far from cool. Don’t we expect our First Ladies to at least stand up straight? (And my dear sister, know the proper etiquette and DO NOT TOUCH THE QUEEN!),” Housley wrote on her Facebook page.
In the comment thread on her post, Housley said the chimpanzee in the 1951 film “Bedtime for Bonzo,” starring then-actor Ronald Reagan, likely had better posture than Mrs. Obama.
“I do miss Nancy Reagan. Ronald even more. Speaking of Bedtime for Bonzo, I think even that chimp stood up straighter than Michelle,” Housley wrote. “Uh-oh, someone is going to make a comment.”
Housley has been pegged over the years for distasteful comments about women in the Democratic party. Also, in 2009 on Facebook, she insinuated former first lady and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton was unattractive, referring to her as a “porker in a royal blue pantsuit.”
“Gov. Sarah Palin didn’t even have to utter a word and people thought she wasn’t qualified. Sarah is beautiful (hot even, some say), with a stunning smile, great figure and an adorable family,” she wrote.
“Is it possible that we judge the beautiful people in reverse? She’s attractive, therefore not smart?” Housley continued. “Would we rather have our women in politics look like Hillary Clinton?”
Housley faces incumbent Democrat Sen. Tina Smith, the former lieutenant governor of Minnesota.
She was appointed to the seat last year by the governor after Al Franken resigned due to sexual misconduct allegations.
Much like the leader of her party President Donald Trump, Housley has a history of making sexist comments against women, specifically on the left.
The HuffPost reported that when asked for comment on these actions, Housley’s campaign spokesman, Jake Schneider responded, “It’s not surprising the Huffington Post—basically an extension of the Democratic Party—would do Tina Smith’s dirty work for her,” he said in an emailed statement.
“This is what the radical left does when they are losing—they attack Republicans so they don’t have to come up with solutions to the problems Minnesotans are facing.”
