When it comes to politics, everything goes. The last election taught us that. For better or for worse, that’s democracy, but you be the judge. Having said that, let’s take a look at the tactics being used in the Virginia gubernatorial election.
The election is less than a week away. A new, minute-long ad by the Democratic group, Latino Victory Fund, stirred controversy due to its depiction of Virginia’s Republican candidate Ed Gillespie’s supporters.
https://twitter.com/latinovictoryus/status/924972736996364289
They are shown as Confederates that enjoy attacking minority children. The opposition ad, titled American Nightmare, features a black Ford F250 pickup truck with a Confederate flag and an Ed Gillespie bumper sticker.
A menacing, white man in a baseball cap and shades is behind the wheel. He is following a Muslim girl, an African-American boy, and two Latino children throughout a neighborhood.
Chris Leavitt, Gillespie’s campaign manager, condemned Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam for the video, issuing a statement about it. He understands that this may be the first of more ads to come in the following days.
I'll bet $1 that group behind this moronic idea pulls ad this week because it's gonna backfire https://t.co/7tjg41gx81 @EdWGillespie
— Ross Kaminsky (@Rossputin) October 31, 2017
“Ed Gillespie has focused his campaign on the many policy differences between Ralph Northam and him,” Gillespie’s campaign manager, Chris Leavitt, wrote in a statement. “But sadly the Northam campaign and its allies have launched a desperate smear campaign against Ed in the closing days of this election.”
“The lieutenant governor was roundly rebuked for exploiting imagery from the tragedy of Charlottesville for political points,” continued Leavitt in his statement. Now his allies have reached a new low with a disgusting, vile television ad seeking to instill fear in our children with that same imagery.
“This is not an attack on Ed Gillespie anymore. This is an all-out attack on the people of Virginia. This latest ad gives a clear indication of just what Ralph Northam and his national Democratic allies think of all of us, and it’s sickening.”
https://twitter.com/PatrioticCindy/status/925160985748439040
Northam’s press secretary, Ofirah Yheskel, wrote a statement defending the video and accusing Gillespie of sowing divisions in the race with his rhetoric.
“Independent groups are denouncing Ed Gillespie because he has run the most divisive, fear-mongering campaign in modern history. It is not shocking that communities of color are scared of what his Trump-like policy positions mean for them.” – Ofirah Yheskel
The aggressive commercial comes as a response to Gillespie’s own unsavory advertisements, where he depicts the state of Virginia getting controlled by MS-13 gangs.
He accuses Northam of restoring gun rights to sex offenders, too. As one can see, it’s nothing but good ole’ politics!
Article inspired by ABC // New Va. attack ad shows minority children chased by truck with Gillespie sticker, Confederate flag