In all honesty and candor - what, pray tell, other qualification did he have? ~160 days in the Senate, of which he voted "Present" in all but 2 votes. Those 2 votes were a 'Yay', one for renaming a Post Office, and another renaming a street.
He championed nor introduced no single bill, nor was he on any committee that introduced a bill.
Aside from his mixed race; what other qualification did he have?
My question was rhetorical, but you nailed the answer right on the head.