Tom Clements, Green Party candidate challenging Sen. Jim DeMint encourages voters who vote for the first name on the ballot to “keep doing what you’re doing,” despite disagreeing with with their “methodology,” in a Web ad released Wednesday.
The ad is a not-so-subtle dig at Democratic primary voters in South Carolina who chose unlikely candidate Alvin Greene, possibly because his name was listed first on the ballot.
Clements used a wand, smoke and witch accessories to mock DeMint’s association with Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell.
“Don’t be frightened. I’m not a witch or a wizard, I’m just dabbling in it,” Clements mocks. “But what is frightening is that Sen. DeMint is relying on fear and magic to govern with philosophies about women and homosexuals that’s more at home in the 12th century than the 21st century.”
Clements was referring to a six-year-old comment in which DeMint said he did not believe homosexuals should be allowed to teach in public schools. DeMint referenced the comment, without backtracking, in a speech early in October.
“Jim, it’s none of the government’s business what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes, just like it’s none of our business what happens in your group house on C Street,” Clements said.
Full transcript here:
I’m Tom Clements, and I’m running for U.S. Senate in South Carolina against incumbent Jim DeMint, and I’m doing everything I can to get his attention.
DeMint is so concerned about who’s gonna be representing Delaware in the U.S. Senate that he’s forgotten about who he’s representing here in South Carolina. Let’s see if we can get his attention focused back on his constituents.
Don’t be frightened. I’m not a witch or a wizard, I’m just dabbling in it. But what is frightening is that Sen. DeMint is relying on fear and magic to govern with philosophies about women and homosexuals that’s more at home in the 12th century than the 21st century.
Jim, it’s none of the government’s business what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes, just like it’s none of our business what happens in your group house on C Street. But that’s just one of Sen. DeMint’s dangerous ideas that we’d like to ask him about.
Please go to my website, clementsforsenate.com, and sign the petition demanding that Jim DeMint come back to South Carolina to debate me. You can also submit questions here that I will personally deliver to DeMint if he refuses to debate me, if I can find him.
And that’s a promise. On election day, Nov. 2, you’ll find three names on the ballot for U.S. Senate. That’s me at the top. And I understand that some of you like to vote for whichever name is listed first. I can’t say I agree with your methodology, but keep on doing what you’re doing.
And some of you will want to vote a straight party ticket. Don’t worry – you can vote straight party and then go to the U.S. Senate race and vote for me. Oh, and there’s one more thing. I’m Tom Clements, and I approve this message.