She was the first political casualty of the McCarthy era. Nixon ran one of the slimiest campaigns to that date, and basically had everybody convinced she was a communist (hence the term "pink lady" he used to describe her). Imagine where the country might be now had she the ability to effectively respond to the hit job, but it was probably not possible given the forces behind Nixon at the time and the climate of fear gripping the country.

Richard Nixon sent her to the showers in the famous California Senate Election of 1950. Nixon called her "the Pink Lady" and said she was "pink right down to her underwear." Gahagan Douglas, meanwhile, gave Nixon one of the most enduring nicknames in politics: "Tricky Dick."