The official Republican Party Twitter account tweeted a “special message” from “noted Irishman Robert Francis O’Rourke” on Sunday.
“On this St. Paddy’s Day, a special message from noted Irishman Robert Francis O’Rourke,” the account tweeted along with a photoshopped green hat-wearing mug shot from O’Rourke’s 1998 DUI arrest. The words “please drink responsibly” were place at the bottom of the picture where an inmate number normally would be.
On this St. Paddy’s Day, a special message from noted Irishman Robert Francis O’Rourke. pic.twitter.com/JRjMEXhZRY
— GOP (@GOP) March 17, 2019
O’Rourke was arrested for driving under the influence in 1998 and even tried to flee the scene before police arrived. (RELATED: Beto O’Rourke Was On ‘A Booty Call To An Ex’ When He Was Arrested For Drunk Driving In 1998)
The St. Patrick’s Day tweet was retweeted almost 9,000 times and had around 20,000 likes as of this writing, but many criticized the GOP for a low blow and even anti-Irish bigotry.
I’m sure Lincoln would be proud of this tweet. You guys are really going high here
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) March 17, 2019
Is the intent here to persuade voters to be more sympathetic to Republicans? It’s not working. https://t.co/wmsIV1TB52
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) March 17, 2019
Because Irish people are drunks. Haha get it?? The Republican Party is so lost right now. https://t.co/NeWti34Nx3
— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) March 17, 2019
I’m embarrassed for the person who runs this GOP account.
— Mike P Williams (@Mike_P_Williams) March 17, 2019
How about the Italians? Can you do Nancy Pelosi as a Mafia boss? Maybe Bernie Sanders in a skullcap?
— Will Saletan (@saletan) March 17, 2019
In a more serious tweet an hour later, the GOP account stuck to policy, charging O’Rourke with being a “failed Member of Congress w/ a far-left liberal record.”
O’Rourke was a failed Member of Congress w/ a far-left liberal record:
*voted w/ Nancy Pelosi 94% of the time
*only passed one bill—renaming a courthouse
*supports the $93 trillion Green New Deal
*voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which added 362,200 jobs to his home state— GOP (@GOP) March 17, 2019
Meanwhile, O’Rourke responded to the GOP tweet Sunday afternoon:
.@BetoORourke responds to @GOP St. Patrick’s Day tweet featuring his mug shot
“I think people want us focused on the big picture. They want us to be defined not by this pettiness or the personal attacks that we see in ones like the ad that you just described.” pic.twitter.com/AHcyPHWGsm
— Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) March 17, 2019