Latest Attack Ad in D.C. Mayoral Race Uses ‘Scandal’ to Grab Attention
D.C. Councilmember David Catania (Photo from Catania For Mayor)
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College Hoops EditionWASHINGTON (WNEW) — The latest attack ad from Independent candidate David Catania uses pop culture to pit his Democratic opponent as a scandalous politician.
The mailer sent out this week for the upcoming D.C. mayoral election reads “Scandal” in similar colors and font as the famous ABC show, but the character Olivia Pope is replaced with a picture of candidate Muriel Bowser frowning.
In my mailbox today: attack mail against Muriel Bowser using "Scandal" from Catania's campaign. #DCision2014 http://t.co/elOas36XMV
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Emily Cahn (@CahnEmily) October 20, 2014The ad reads, “It’s not just a TV show. It’s what four years of Muriel Bowser would look like.”
“It’s catchy and it makes a point and sometimes you use pop culture to do that, but it’s got a very serious message,” Catania’s Campaign Manager Ben Young says.
Some D.C. residents agree.
The first mailer today from the #Catania campaign. A+ for the pop culture reference #DCMayoralRaceMailbag http://t.co/LdGYKFNecj
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Judi Kennedy (@JudiKennedy) October 21, 2014Other recipients of the ad, however, were less impressed with Catania’s campaign strategy and say it’s too negative.
Actual David Catania mailer #scandal #srsly http://t.co/MPBtv927WS
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Josh Eidelson (@josheidelson) October 21, 2014Muriel Bowser’s twitter account re-tweeted this critique from one Twitter user on Tuesday:
That racist, sexist @DavidCataniaDC mailer made me so mad that I just donated to @MurielBowser. #Murielmentum, y'all. #WomenForMuriel
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Vail Kohnert-Yount (@vailkoyo) October 21, 2014“I think it’s a sign of a campaign that’s in panic mode and is in desparation,” says Bowser’s campaign manager, Joaquin McPeek.
(WNEW’s Chuck Carroll contributed to this report. Follow him and WNEW on Twitter.)
