Rep Jackie Walorski (Indiana) has died in a car crash

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Wow that's awful. RIP.

According to wikipedia, the last member of Congress to die in an automobile/traffic accident while in office was Theo Ashton Thompson of Louisiana's 7th district on July 1st, 1965. He was succeeded by future political legend and living meme, Edwin Edwards.

This was something that I thought about when I heard the news, how infrequently American politicians seem to die in car crashes compared to the general population. Contrast that with the rate they die in plane crashes due to frequent charter plane usage, or seem to be involved in instances of vehicular manslaughter. I can think of several high profile instances of both, but very few where well known elected officials are killed in traffic accidents.  

We have an entire national wildlife refuge right outside of Philly city limits (John Heinz NWR) named after, well...John Heinz, PA senator who died in a helicopter crash during the early 90's. 

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

Comment

I’m not sure what this achieves on an RIP thread. Do you think we need an additional thread about abortion?

Not to compare this place to the cesspool (or Eden, depending on the day) that is Reddit, but I think the Reddit thread on her death under the news sub handled this properly:  posters were allowed to criticize her legislation, her votes, her political agenda, but they were not permitted to openly celebrate or praise her objectively tragic demise.  

It's a very thin line, but it's a line that CAN be established.