Attorney Doug Jones is running for the U.S. Senate against alleged child molester Roy Moore. And while Jones may be a clear choice against, well, a man facing multiple sexual assault allegations, he’s now embroiled an upsetting controversy of his own: Black voters across Alabama are calling out a campaign flyer with extremely racist underpinnings.
The Doug Jones for Senate Committee ad, which has gone viral on Twitter and was previously reported on by the Root, shows a picture of a Black man staring at the reader. Above reads, “Think if a black man went after high school girls. Anyone would try to make him a senator?”
And yes, in case you’re in shock: The flyer is 100 percent real. The Jones campaign confirmed to WHNT that the Doug Jones for Senate Committee paid for the ads and were promptly sent out.
https://twitter.com/williamcson/status/938592106129559554
The flyer, of course, references Moore’s ongoing sexual assault allegations, sparking even further disgust after President Donald Trump endorsed him for the Senate amid the claims. But Jones’ ad throws Black people under the bus. As Michael Harriot explains for the Root, the committee’s flyer relies on an “oversimplifciation of the black mind as only caring about black issues.”
“Part of the reason the Democratic Party has been marginalized as a party that only exists on the coasts and in urban areas is whitemannery like this,” he explains. “The Democratic Party is trash. It is the reason Hillary Clinton lost. It is the reason Donald Trump is president.”
Harriot isn’t alone on that point. Dozens turned to Twitter calling out the flyer, pointing out how it’s a ridiculous attempt to mobilize Black voters.
WTF? pic.twitter.com/D33jHo8Lk0
— LynnMe❤️ (@mzjazzybee) December 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/politicsbySteve/status/938758782301102080
https://twitter.com/williamcson/status/938592998509641729
the Democratic Party is super trash, this is the ad they are using, so there def goes Alabama to a child rapist!
— Rosa A. Clemente (@rosaclemente) December 7, 2017
Black voters play a major role in the Democrats’ future. They essentially voted President Obama into office during both 2008 and 2012. The party can’t afford to alienate Black constituents, especially in this election.
https://twitter.com/cherieannparker/status/938778578925142016
Definitely not in good taste with that flyer. Hopefully folks don’t get so pissed that they decide not to vote cause he’s still a better alternative than Moore. It’s like like not voting for Hillary because she’s not likeable.
— Christopher Larome (@BigC_GodsSon) December 7, 2017
Oh god Doug why would you do that? Are you trying to get beat on Tuesday
— Cordell Garrett (@writerguydell) December 7, 2017
Racist campaign ads remain an ongoing problem in U.S. politics, as political outreach organizations on both sides of the aisle publish drivel that alienates voters of color. Sometimes it’s intentionally done, too. In one case, mailers sent out in Edison, New Jersey targeted two school board candidates of color with vile slogans inspired by President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign promise. America has a racism problem, and it’s not going away in either local or national politics anytime soon.
