Politics

Final Message From Liberals: GOP Virginia Gubernatorial Candidate Is Racist

ABINGDON, VA - OCTOBER 14: Gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie, R-VA, speaks at a campaign rally at the Washington County Fairgrounds on October 14, 2017 in Abingdon, Virginia. Virginia voters head to the polls on Nov. 7. (Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images)

(Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images)

Alex Pfeiffer White House Correspondent
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The final message from opponents of Republican Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie is that he is a racist. Seriously.

Gillespie, a former D.C. lobbyist, was attacked during the primary by his opponent Corey Stewart for not being right-wing enough when it comes to illegal immigration or Confederate statues. The Republican has since campaigned on keeping up Confederate monuments and attacked his Democratic opponent Ralph Northam for casting a vote in favor of sanctuary cities.

“MS-13 is a menace, yet Ralph Northam voted in favor of sanctuary cities that let dangerous illegal immigrants back on the street, increasing the threat of MS-13,” a narrator said in a highly criticized ad the Gillespie campaign ran. “Ralph Northam’s policies are dangerous.”

WATCH:

According to Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAullife, these ads about MS 13 violence are “mean spirited, bigoted, racist.”

McAuliffe isn’t alone in this rhetoric. “Ed Gillespie’s pre-’17 reputation as a genial, establishment Republican is getting him too much of a pass on his shamelessly racist campaign,” former Hillary Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon tweeted.

And Democratic pollster Matt McDermott tweeted, “This election is simple enough: Ed Gillespie is a racist. Ralph Northam is not a racist. Virginians deserves a governor who is not a racist.”

Even “never Trumper” and failed independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin is joining the trend.