Labor & Employment Law

W.Va. ?Hicks? Sought for Republican Campaign Commercial

By Mike Hall

What do the people who make Republican television campaign ads think of West Virginians?  Apparently not much because when the casting call went out for actors to portray some typical West Virginia voters in a John Raese ad attacking Gov. Joe Manchin?s run for the U.S. Senate, it said

We are going for a ‘Hicky’ Blue Collar look. These characters are from West Virginia.

When the word got out, most real West Virginians were rightfully incensed. But not all. The chairman of the state Republican Party, Mike Stuart, told reporters, ?I have no problem with it whatsoever.?

West Virginia AFL-CIO President Kenny Perdue says Stuarts?s response shows it’s clear he

has no understanding or respect for the honest, hard-working people of West Virginia? I think Stuart should have a big problem with the ad, and the fact he doesn?t means he shouldn?t be representing a major political party in West Virginia.

Perdue called on Stuart to resign. He also said:

West Virginia has fought against ?hick? and ?hillbilly? stereotypes for decades. It?s outrageous, totally unacceptable and just demonstrates the low opinion some big-wig Republicans have of working West Virginians.

Raese owns a mansion with a pink marble driveway and two limousines in Palm Beach, Fla., where he spends most of his time, a home in Colorado and homes in West Virginia. The multi-millionaire?who wants to repeal the minimum wage?is dipping deep into his own pockets for the campaign and the Republican Party and other groups are pouring millions into the Mountain State on his behalf. Says Manchin:

Not only have they been spending millions to try and buy this election with lies and distortions, we can now see once and for all what he and his friends really think of West Virginia and our people.  It’s offensive and it only proves that John Raese has spent too much time in the state of Florida, living in his Palm Beach mansion and doesn’t know, understand or respect the great people of this state, and what we stand for.

The National Republican Senate Campaign Committee that paid for the ?Hick” ad decided the heat was too much and pulled it from circulation today.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on October 07, 2010 (boomark / email).