This challenges “my priors” about a certain elected official. I prefer my priors.
A principality is created either by the people or by the nobles. He who obtained sovereignty by the assistance of the nobles maintains himself with more difficulty than he who comes to it by the aid of the people, because the former finds many around him who consider themselves his equal, and he cannot rule or manage them. But he who reaches sovereignty by the popular favor has none or few who are are prepared to obey him. You cannot satisfy the nobles without hurt to others, because their object is to oppress. You can satisfy the people, for their only desire is: not to be oppressed.
Machiavelli, The Prince, via Jacques Barzun, From Dawn to Decadence, p. 256.