But ours was intended to be a citizen government. It is what of, by and for the people means. And when our most important issue in California is the creation of jobs, I think it’s quite helpful to have someone in the U.S. Senate or in the governor’s seat who actually knows where jobs come from.

Fiorina frames American democracy as fundamentally “citizen” driven, invoking Lincoln’s famous formula “of, by and for the people” to argue that political legitimacy rests on ordinary citizens rather than entrenched political classes. She then pivots to a pragmatic campaign theme—job creation—claiming that executive or business experience provides superior insight into how employment is generated. The quote thus blends civic-populist rhetoric with a technocratic argument for leadership by someone who has operated in the private sector. Implicitly, it contrasts “career politicians” with leaders who have managed organizations and payrolls, suggesting that economic competence is a key qualification for high office, especially in a state focused on employment growth.