Character, Judgement, Accountability Matters More Than R or D

Guest Opinion by Jessica Styles

As a survivor of domestic violence, I pay attention to things that many people dismiss as "just politics."

I pay attention to who people choose to stand beside. I pay attention to who they choose to elevate. I pay attention to whether they are willing to overlook uncomfortable allegations when there is something to gain.

Before I go any further, I want to be clear about something. I am 100% an independent voter. I do not vote based on party. I vote based on principles, character, judgment, and accountability. I have voted for candidates from different parties throughout my life, and I will continue to do so because people matter more than political labels.

That is why seeing Andrew Sneed choose to appear with Chris Cuomo is concerning to me.

CNN fired Chris Cuomo in December 2021 after revelations that he used his media position to help his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, respond to sexual harassment allegations. Around that same time, Chris Cuomo was also facing allegations of misconduct himself.

There are really only two possibilities. Either he knew about the controversies surrounding Cuomo and decided they were not important enough to factor into his decision, or he did not know about them at all.

Neither answer gives me confidence.

If he knew and proceeded anyway, that tells me that access, exposure, and political opportunity mattered more than the message that choice sends to survivors.

If he did not know, then I have to question whether he is paying attention to the people he chooses to associate himself with before seeking higher office.

As survivors, we spend years being told to ignore red flags. We are told not to ask questions. We are told to make excuses for powerful men. We are told that accountability can wait until after the election, after the promotion, after the next opportunity.

I refuse to do that anymore.

For me, leadership is about judgment. It is about character. It is about understanding that your choices send a message.

The message I received from this choice was not one that made me feel safer, more represented, or more confident in the kind of leadership we need.

As someone who survived abuse and now advocates for others who are trying to find their voices, I need leaders who understand that accountability is not something we talk about only when it is convenient. It is something we practice, especially when it is inconvenient.

Women deserve leaders who take allegations seriously. Survivors deserve leaders who understand why these things matter. Communities deserve leaders who think carefully about the people they choose to align themselves with.

Whether someone has an R, a D, or an I beside their name means very little to me. Character matters. Judgment matters. Accountability matters.

That is why this matters to me.

Jessica Styles is a domestic violence survivor, advocate, and Alabama resident. An independent voter, she approaches public issues through the lens of accountability rather than party politics. She believes we can uphold the principle that people are innocent until proven guilty while also taking allegations seriously and listening to those who come forward. For her, believing women does not mean abandoning due process. It means refusing to automatically dismiss their voices, experiences, and concerns. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Forensic Psychology and is pursuing graduate studies in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.

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