---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What will get you elected through a tough…"
description: "\"What will get you elected through a tough election cycle and what will get you kicked out when you should have won is whether your constituents feel li..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/joe-kennedy-iii-18352_election_what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-toug_1728862.jpg"
---

#  What will get you elected through a tough election cycle…

![“What will get you elected through a tough election cycle and what will get you kicked out when you should have won is whether your constituents feel like their Member of Congress respects them or not.” quote by Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/joe-kennedy-iii-18352_election_what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-toug_1728862.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/joe-kennedy-iii-18352_election_what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-toug_1728862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/joe-kennedy-iii-18352_election_what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-toug_1728862.jpg)

> “What will get you elected through a tough election cycle and what will get you kicked out when you should have won is whether your constituents feel like their Member of Congress respects them or not.”

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Elected officials must show respect for constituents; lack of respect leads to political defeat.

**In simple terms:** Respect earns votes; disrespect loses them.

Key Takeaway

Earn respect, stay connected.

Themes

politics leadership respect

Mood

motivational strategic

Type

political leadership

When to use this quote

- election campaigns
- constituent meetings
- policy debates

Key Concepts

public trust accountability

Questions to Reflect On

- How can representatives demonstrate respect daily?
- What actions build lasting trust?

A Different Perspective

Respect alone may not guarantee success.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/)

## Related quotes

> [If one area I felt it was a tough election was I couldn't see my young son and I couldn't see my wife a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imran-khan/if-one-area-i-felt-it-was-a-tough-election-was-i-couldn-t-see-my/)

[Imran Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imran-khan/)

> [The New Deal exists principally on an emotional plane for Obama. To him, the New Deal is something you play like a song, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/the-new-deal-exists-principally-on-an-emotional-plane-for-obama-to/)

[Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/)

> [“You need to get to know who your constituents are, how they feel, and what they think. You need to repeatedly walk the halls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-kouzes/you-need-to-get-to-know-who-your-constituents-are-how-they-feel-and/)

[James M. Kouzes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-kouzes/)

> [The millennial that lives in a very red state might not even realize that their congressman thinks that they have no constituents that feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-walsh/the-millennial-that-lives-in-a-very-red-state-might-not-even-realize/)

[Marty Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-walsh/)

> [One faction of one party, in one house of Congress, in one branch of government, doesn't get to shut down the entire government just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/one-faction-of-one-party-in-one-house-of-congress-in-one-branch-of/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [The right to participate in the choice of representatives for Congress includes, as we have said, the right to cast a ballot and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-f-stone/the-right-to-participate-in-the-choice-of-representatives-for/)

[Harlan F. Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-f-stone/)

> [The opposition leaders are opportunistic seasonal birds. Where were they when Cyclone Phailin, Hudhud, Titli, and even drought hit Odisha? Now it's election time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-patnaik/the-opposition-leaders-are-opportunistic-seasonal-birds-where-were/)

[Naveen Patnaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-patnaik/)

> [The Lok Sabha election is not a contest between political parties. It is a fight between Modi-Shah, and the country. Only when these two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-thackeray/the-lok-sabha-election-is-not-a-contest-between-political-parties-it/)

[Raj Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-thackeray/)

> [I have chosen to seek election to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and not reelection to Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-negrete-mcleod/i-have-chosen-to-seek-election-to-the-san-bernardino-county-board-of/)

Gloria Negrete McLeod

> [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/)

Joe Pitts

> [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/)

[Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/)

> [So our focus has to be on the things that we can control, which is to take the necessary measures working with Congress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/so-our-focus-has-to-be-on-the-things-that-we-can-control-which-is-to/)

[Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/)

> [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/)

[Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/)

## More by Joe Kennedy III

> [People think my family pushed me into running for office. The person who pushed me most not to run for office was my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/people-think-my-family-pushed-me-into-running-for-office-the-person/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [People always ask what's it like to grow up as a Kennedy. It's a family. It's big, it's large, it's amazing. You've got strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/people-always-ask-what-s-it-like-to-grow-up-as-a-kennedy-it-s-a/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [I have a pretty terrible sweet tooth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/i-have-a-pretty-terrible-sweet-tooth/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [There is no mercy in a system that makes health care a luxury. There is no mercy in a country that turns their back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/there-is-no-mercy-in-a-system-that-makes-health-care-a-luxury-there/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [My family means different things to different folks. I think, for most people, they have very fond memories and believe my family made important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/my-family-means-different-things-to-different-folks-i-think-for-most/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [You can see what happens when people don't feel they have a chance. You can see the ramifications of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/you-can-see-what-happens-when-people-don-t-feel-they-have-a-chance/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [I have gotten tubes of Chapstick from every damn corner of the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/i-have-gotten-tubes-of-chapstick-from-every-damn-corner-of-the-country/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [Ending gun violence isn't political. This is personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/ending-gun-violence-isn-t-political-this-is-personal/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [I'm not going to vote for or against somebody because they're old or young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/i-m-not-going-to-vote-for-or-against-somebody-because-they-re-old-or/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [If you believe that the greatest challenge you've got is credibility, then the way you get that is you earn it, right? That's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/if-you-believe-that-the-greatest-challenge-you-ve-got-is-credibility/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> ['Compromise' isn't supposed to be a dirty word. It is, in fact, how representative democracy works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/compromise-isn-t-supposed-to-be-a-dirty-word-it-is-in-fact-how/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [I have worked very, very hard over the course of my time in Congress to make sure that everybody does get access to quality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/i-have-worked-very-very-hard-over-the-course-of-my-time-in-congress/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [I don't give a whole lot of thought or credence to questions about what comes on next, what goes on next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/i-don-t-give-a-whole-lot-of-thought-or-credence-to-questions-about/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [The American public will give you an awful lot of slack on how you voted on one issue or another if they feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/the-american-public-will-give-you-an-awful-lot-of-slack-on-how-you/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

> [I have a hard time understanding how cutting the program in our country that provides healthcare to working families by $800 billion can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/i-have-a-hard-time-understanding-how-cutting-the-program-in-our/)

[Joe Kennedy III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

[Explore all 35 Joe Kennedy III quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/)

## More Congress quotes

> [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/)

[Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/)

> [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [So our focus has to be on the things that we can control, which is to take the necessary measures working with Congress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/so-our-focus-has-to-be-on-the-things-that-we-can-control-which-is-to/)

[Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/)

> [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/)

[Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/)

> [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/)

Joe Pitts

> [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/united-states-congress/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or/)

United States Congress

> [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/)

[Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/)

> [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/)

[John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/)

> [My younger self could not imagine standing on the floor of Congress as a member of Congress voting on legislation that, if enacted, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/my-younger-self-could-not-imagine-standing-on-the-floor-of-congress/)

[Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/)

> [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/)

[Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/)

> [We need less travelling by jet plaes from congress to congress... but more kneeling and praying and pleading to God to have mercy on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martyn-lloyd-jones/we-need-less-travelling-by-jet-plaes-from-congress-to-congress-but/)

[Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martyn-lloyd-jones/)

> [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

[Browse all 3,400 Congress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What will get you elected through a tough election cycle and what will get you kicked out when you should have won is whether your constituents feel like their Member of Congress respects them or not.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joe Kennedy III"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-tough-election-cycle-and-what/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Congress"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-tough-election-cycle-and-what/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/joe-kennedy-iii-18352_election_what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-toug_1728862.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/joe-kennedy-iii-18352_election_what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-toug_1728862.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c42/joe-kennedy-iii-18352_election_what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-toug_1728862.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What will get you elected through a tough election cycle and what will get you kicked out when you should…” — Joe Kennedy III",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Joe Kennedy III",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-kennedy-iii/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What will get you elected through...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-tough-election-cycle-and-what/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-kennedy-iii/what-will-get-you-elected-through-a-tough-election-cycle-and-what/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
