Virginia Democrats need a new PR team.
Days after Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam's campaign fielded a controversy for removing African-American candidate for lieutenant governor, Justin Fairfax, from some of their campaign literature in northern Virginia, Democrats have stepped in it again with another insensitive brochure.
Lolita Mancheno-Smoak, an Ecuadorian-American Republican running for delegate in Fairfax County, Virginia, is the target of the Democrats' latest attack mailer. The artwork was, well, pretty thoughtless.
Democrat Kathy Tran attack mailer against Republican Lolita Mancheno-Smoak in race to replace Albo in Fairfax County pic.twitter.com/OC8XOLbtAI
— Patrick Wilson (@patrickmwilson) October 24, 2017
Social media users (and perhaps the Virginia voters who received the shock mail) were not amused.
That's not campaigning, that's smearing. An absolute disgrace. Democrats should be ashamed for one of their candidates using such tactics!
— Jenna W (@JennaWalker689) October 24, 2017
Martha Boneta, the director of outreach and coalitions for the conservative group Coalitions for Citizens for the Republic (CFTR), also responded to the "shameful ad" in a press release Tuesday.
"If a Republican organization compared a female Ecuadorian candidate to an animal and a serial killer, they would be tarred and feathered by every media outlet in the country. In the strongest, most sincere and heartfelt terms, I cannot state how shameful and wrong these ads really are,” she said.
"Quite honestly, anyone who chooses not to denounce these ads are as complicit as the ones who approved and designed them. Comparisons of a Latino woman to an animal and serial killer are beyond unacceptable in any environment. An apology is totally insufficient. We are far past that.”
"Sadly, we are once again reminded why women deserve better. Yet the Democrats in Virginia continue to demonstrate they are willing to do and say anything to obtain power, even to the point of deleting their own lieutenant governor candidate from flyers being distributed in Northern Virginia. If this is how they behave on the campaign trail, why should anyone trust the Democrats with public office?"
Last week, when Northam's campaign removed Fairfax from their campaign brochures, the gubernatorial candidate explained that a labor union hadn't endorsed him. He offered that reasoning in lieu of an apology. Yet, the damage had been done and he was accused of "subtle racism."
Northam and state Democrats can't afford another controversy, as Republican Ed Gillespie keeps gaining ground by hammering his opponent on sanctuary cities and MS-13.
Former President Obama stepped on to the campaign trail with Northam last week urging Democrats not to get apathetic in the Old Dominion race.
"Our democracy is at stake," Obama said.
Editor's Note: This post has been updated.