Political promises are much like marriage vows. They are made at the beginning of the relationship between candidate and voter, but are quickly forgotten.

Gregory likens campaign pledges to marriage vows to underscore how public commitments can function more as ceremonial assurances than binding obligations. The comparison highlights a familiar pattern: at the outset—whether of a marriage or a political candidacy—participants emphasize ideals, fidelity, and future intentions; once power or stability is secured, those intentions may be neglected amid practical pressures, self-interest, or changing incentives. The “relationship” framing also casts voters as partners who are courted, then taken for granted, suggesting a critique not only of politicians’ cynicism but of a political culture that rewards persuasive promises more than sustained accountability.