NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana’s primary congressional election is coming up on November 8th, and politicians have been working hard to create political ads that catch attention and secure votes.
Several ads from Louisiana candidates have attracted huge attention online. U.S. Senator John Kennedy’s most recent ad has lit up social media.
“Look, if you hate cops just because they’re cops, the next time you get in trouble, call a crackhead,” the Senator says as the ad closes.
The ad has gotten the ‘meme treatment’, being shared tens of thousands of times online.
It also got his opponents talking. Democratic challenger Gary Chambers called the ad racist, and said in his own video,
“We need leaders who have real solutions to the problems in our communities; not cowards like John Kennedy who drop one-liners and do nothing on the job, you piece of…”
The ad then appears to buffer, with a swirling circle over Chamber’s face, so he doesn’t finish the line.
Less contentious, but just as headline-grabbing, is a recent digital ad from Congressional candidate Katie Darling.
A production crew followed the Northshore mom to the hospital as she gave birth to her son. She talks about abortion rights, and says as she’s holding her newborn son in the hospital,
“I’m running for Congress because I want that better path. For you, for her, and for him.”
The Democrat is hoping to put Congressman Steve Scalise out of a job. But his ads have been comparatively standard.
One recent ad pictures Rep. Scalise pumping gas, his daughter at the wheel, as he talks about the recent spike in gas prices.
“I have a plan to lower gas prices and strengthen our economy,” he says from the passenger seat.
Lastly, while it’s not a statewide race, an ad from current State Representative Royce Duplessis has people talking, too.
Hedy Duplessis, Royce’s mother, sits at a table and begins telling a story.
“About 125 years ago in a Treme cottage,” she begins.
Hedy Duplessis goes on to tell the story of how her grandmother died by suicide shortly after a coat-hanger abortion.
Royce Duplessis’ voiceover then begins, “The women of Louisiana today have no more control over their bodies than my great-grandmother had over hers more than a century ago.”
Duplessis is up against fellow Democratic House Member Mandie Landry for Karen Carter Peterson’s former Louisiana State Senate seat.
Primary election day is Tuesday, November 8th and the general congressional election is Saturday, December 10th.