As Andrew Gillum prepares for Election Day in Florida's historic gubernatorial race, he's facing racism, of course.
The Tallahassee mayor has been targeted by Idaho-based white supremacist website The Road to Power. The group has paid for a racist robocall to convince Floridians to vote for Gillum's white Republican rival, Ron DeSantis. Gillum faced a similar attack ad during the Democratic primary.
According to The Huffington Post, the message claims Gillum's healthcare plan involves feeding the sick chicken feet. It also claims Jewish people are behind his candidacy and asserts Jews are “the ones that been putting Negroes in charge over the white folk, just like they done after the Civil War.”
As if all of that was not enough, the call features minstrel music, and the sound of a monkey screeching can be heard when Gillum is mentioned.
An actor portrays the mayor and says, "Well hello there. I is the Negro Andrew Gillum, and I be asking you to make me governor of this here state of Florida.”
“These disgusting, abhorrent robocalls represent a continuation of the ugliest, most divisive campaign in Florida’s history,” said Gillum spokesman, Geoff Burgan. “We would hope that these calls, and the dangerous people who are behind them, are not given any more attention than they already have been.”
DeSantis spokesman Stephen Lawson denied having any connection to robocall on Tuesday.
“Our campaign has absolutely nothing to do with this robocall and joins those in condemning it,” Lawson said, per NBC News. “In fact, we would encourage the Gillum campaign to join us in rooting out and exposing once and for all those who are behind this disgusting call.”
If elected, Gillum would become Florida's first Black governor.
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