Republicans pounced on a tweet by the Connecticut Democratic Occasion that drew a comparability of a Black Republican Home candidate to the cartoon monkey Curious George.
The get together attacked George Logan, a GOP candidate in Connecticut’s fifth Congressional District, for allegedly not residing within the district.
Within the tweet, the get together mimicked the Curious George books’ “That is George” format to explain Mr. Logan, drawing criticism by Republicans and Democrats for being racially insensitive.
“For a celebration that claims to be open and inclusive, this type of tweet, which was additionally retweeted by my opponent Jahana Hayes, actually comes throughout as racially motivated,” Mr. Logan mentioned, referring to the Democratic incumbent within the district.
The complete tweet, which has since been taken down, learn: “That is George. George doesn’t reside within the fifth District however desires to signify it in Congress. George’s uncle lives within the fifth District. George says he’s moved into his uncle’s home. However has he? Simply run the place you reside, George. Deceiving voters is not any approach to begin a marketing campaign.”
The tweet additionally featured a photograph of Mr. Logan in entrance of a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag.
The tweet mirrored comparable language used within the Curious George books: “That is George. He was a very good little monkey and at all times very curious.”
Ben Proto, Connecticut GOP Occasion chairman, known as the tweet “clearly racist” and proved a double commonplace between Democratic and Republican messaging on race.
“They’re evaluating an African American and Latino man to a monkey,” Mr. Pronto advised CT Information Junkie.
Nancy DiNardo, chairwoman of the Connecticut Democratic Occasion, mentioned the tweet was not a reference to Curious George and accused Republicans of creating racist accusations solely when it advantages them.
“The Connecticut Republicans don’t have any opinion about precise racism of their ranks; about demanding that colleges cease educating the historical past of slavery, concerning the murderous violence incited by the persistent dialogue of substitute concept, however they’re discovering racism the place there may be none,” Ms. DiNardo mentioned.
Mrs. Hayes, who initially retweeted the tweet, has since taken it down and apologized for doing so, including that she didn’t imply for it to be interpreted as a racial assault.
“I discover it exhausting to imagine anybody, appearing in good religion, might interpret my retweet as stoking racial animus in opposition to one other African American. That doesn’t profit me, my marketing campaign, or this district in any means. I don’t take part in that sort of habits and by no means have. I do, nonetheless, perceive notion and my opponent being offended is nice sufficient for me. I apologize and can delete the tweet,” Mrs. Hayes mentioned.
Rep. Jim Himes, Connecticut Democrat, additionally condemned the tweet.
“Had the GOP posted it, we’d be condemning it. So let’s do this right here: intent issues little, whataboutism isn’t okay, [and] the purported substance doesn’t matter. Let’s take it down, apologize, and be taught,” Mr. Himes mentioned.
In line with the nonpartisan Cook dinner Political Report, Connecticut’s fifth District is rated as a “probably Democratic” seat.
The state will maintain its primaries on Aug. 9.
