Republicans trying to paint Democratic candidate as a "big city rapper." Antonio Delgado is a lawyer and Rhodes scholar. The Republicans are trying to scare white voters with Delgado's past. |
The Republicans fear they could lose the House of Representatives. The Senate may still be in their hands for the time being. However, if we vote in massive numbers, we can put the Senate back in Democratic control.
The race in Hudson Valley, New York is closely watched.
Antonio Delgado is a 41 year old lawyer running against Rep. John Faso (R-NY) in a highly competitive race in the Hudson Valley. Congressional District 19th is one of the closely watched races. The Harvard Law School graduate and Rhodes scholar was previously a lawyer at one of the country's largest lobbying firms. He was also a rapper — and the NRCC wants voters to believe that his past lyrics disqualify him from representing them in Washington.
The ad features cuts of Delgado in 2018 campaigning for the seat interspersed with darkened videos of the candidate rapping about sex, using the n-word and critiquing white supremacy.
Republicans are playing straight out of that tired old playbook that Rush Limbaugh, Sean "Softball" Hannity, The Drudge Report, Fox News and Breitbart gave them. The attacks launched against Delgado started with his past career as a rapper.
Rep. John Faso (R-NY) is playing the race card against Delgado. He is trying to label his opponent as a vile rapper. |
The New York Post went there.
"Rapping Dem Challenges Republican For Upstate Congressional Seat."
The tag line says that Delgado is a former rapper turned lawyer who spewed politically provocative and racially charged lyrics a decade ago is the Democratic nominee who doesn't mention his hip-hop exploits.
Delgado was then known as AD The Voice.
The NRCC was unapologetic about what it was putting before voters. "SoundCloud rapper Antonio Delgado faces his own anti-American lyrics in new NRCC TV ad in NY-19," Jesse Hunt, national press secretary for the NRCC, tweeted.
"If Democrats are upset about Antonio Delgado's own rap lyrics being used in ads then they shouldn't have nominated him."
In July, Faso told the New York Times that Delgado's lyrics are "inconsistent with the views of the people of the 19th District and America.... It's his responsibility as a candidate to answer for the controversial views he expressed in his lyrics and whether he continues to hold these views today."
Delgado achieved professional success not as a rapper but as an attorney before announcing his bid for Congress. He told The New York Times that he saw the ads as attempts to "otherize" him in his home district, which is largely white.
AD The Voice. Antonio Delgado was a rapper in the early 2000s. |
Delgado bought a house in Rhinebeck, New York, last year and currently lives there with his wife and two children.
Are you getting tired of Republicans distracting the public with the culture war?
Trust me I am.
Are you already registered to vote?
Good.
You planning on voting?
Good.
Alright, I want to make this clear. In Donald J. Trump's America, you see how polarizing life is when you're a person of color.
They are talking about how they preserved the "status quo."
Are you going to vote?
But the Republican Party is far from the family values they've been peddling for years.
These incidents of white people calling the law on people of color is a perfect example of why we need to vote.
VOTE.
VOTE EARLY.
VOTE ABSENTEE BALLOT.
VOTE ON NOVEMBER 6, 2018.
Restore sanity. Hold Donald Trump and Republicans accountable for their failure to govern. Hold them responsible for playing dirty politics and advocating the genocide of people of color through austerity, gun violence, voter suppression and fear mongering.
These incidents of white people calling the law on people of color is a perfect example of why we need to vote.
VOTE.
VOTE EARLY.
VOTE ABSENTEE BALLOT.
VOTE ON NOVEMBER 6, 2018.
Restore sanity. Hold Donald Trump and Republicans accountable for their failure to govern. Hold them responsible for playing dirty politics and advocating the genocide of people of color through austerity, gun violence, voter suppression and fear mongering.