During the past seven years as president, Barack Obama has largely stayed out of primary politics. He has rarely endorsed a candidate and doesn’t like to comment on primary races. But the White House broke with their own precedent recently to denounce a television ad supporting Democratic candidate Donna Edwards.
Edwards is battling with fellow Congressional Democrat Chris Van Hollen for the opportunity to represent Maryland in the United States Senate. A Super PAC known as “Working for Us” recently ran a television ad supporting Edwards’ strict anti-gun stance. In the ad, footage was used of President Obama as he teared up over the Sandy Hook school massacre. The ad then tried to connect the increase in gun violence to the passage of the DISCLOSE Act, which Van Hollen had supported.
The White House responded quickly and called the ad “misleading.” In an unusual step, they also called for the ad to be removed. It’s worth noting that Obama supported the DISCLOSE Act and signed it into law. However, that’s not what got the folks at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue so upset.
Obama’s neutrality in primary elections is very important to the president, and the ad was seen as implying his support for Edwards over Van Hollen.
“Working for Us” quickly responded and replaced the ad with an updated version. Joshua Henne, a spokesperson for “Working for Us,” said:
“We stand by the facts laid out in POLITICO in June 2010, when reporters called it a ‘classic backroom special interest deal’ and detailed how Chris Van Hollen met twice with the NRA’s ‘chief lobbyist.’ Van Hollen caved to the NRA and carved out their gun lobby loophole, while Donna Edwards voted against it. However, out of respect for the White House and the work they’ve done on this important issue, we will be taking President Obama out of the spot.”
Chris Van Hollen’s campaign was quick to jump on the gaffe by Edwards supporters. Within 48 hours, he was running his own new campaign ad questioning Edwards’ judgement in lieu of controversial ad. The Maryland primary is on April 26th and it’s clear these two candidates will be swinging at each other up and till the bitter end.
Featured image screengrab via video.
