FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2018

CONTACT: Elliot Levy, [email protected], 202-800-7409

New York – As President Trump and members of the Republican Party have upped the ante on their racist and antisemitic attacks against their opponents in the midterm elections, Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, issued the following statement:

“This year, we’ve seen a campaign in Florida that is steeped in hate. Gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis has deployed every African American trope and stereotype against his opponent, Andrew Gillum, in a desperate attempt to gain power. From saying Florida shouldn’t “monkey this up,” to the “minstrel” “negro”robocalls, to Sonny Perdue’s “cotton picking” comments, to smears calling Mr. Gillum a criminal, DeSantis is running a campaign straight out of the Jim Crow South era.

 

“DeSantis’ fear-based politics is all too common in today’s Republican Party. We’ve seen how President Trump’s shockingly racist ad and other white nationalist rhetoric use fear to convince his base that they are under imaginary threat. And we’ve experienced all too deeply in the past weeks how the rhetoric used by far too many members of the GOP has created an atmosphere where their supporters respond to their rhetoric and dog whistles with deadly violence against Jews, African Americans, Muslims, immigrants, the LGBTQ community and other marginalized communities.

 

“But Jewish voters in Florida who value honesty, diversity and dignity won't be fooled by DeSantis’ vile tactics nor by the transparent and outrageous attempts to smear Mr. Gillum’s campaign with accusations of antisemitism. Tomorrow, millions of voters will take to the polls to vote for an end to the white nationalism that threatens our safety and our democracy. I am hopeful that voters in this state – as well as in Georgia and across the country - will reject the abhorrent behavior of Trump, DeSantis and all the other candidates whose rhetoric has created an atmosphere of hate.”