Final answer:
The correct answer is option b) detrimental.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's inquiry relates to how public policies can affect societal outcomes and political elections. The appropriate word to fill in the blank in the student's question would be suboptimal, which implies that the policies are not the best or most effective. In a democratic setting, the success of a policy is often judged by its effect on constituents, and policies perceived as suboptimal can be detrimental to a political figure's re-election chances.
The nuance of democracy and policy making needs to be understood in the context of winners and losers as any policy can favor certain behaviors over others, sometimes causing unintended consequences.