Republican Senate candidate runs ad standing up for the Washington Redskins name
Republican Senate candidate Ed Gillespie, the former RNC chair now running against Democratic Sen. Mark Warner in Virginia, ran a new TV ad during Monday night's Redskins-Cowboys game on an interesting issue for a candidate who has been lagging in the polls: Promising to stand up for the name of the Washington Redskins football team, which has been criticized from many quarters as a racial slur.
"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has a bill to force the Redskins to change their name," the announcer says in a menacing tone. "Mark Warner refused to answer if he supports the bill or not. Why won't Warner fight the anti-Redskins bill? Why won't he answer the question?"
"I'll answer the question," Gillespie says to the camera, from a kitchen table setting. "I'll oppose the anti-Redskins bill. Let's focus on creating jobs, raising take-home pay, and making our nation safer — and let the Redskins handle what to call their team."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Warner has mostly stayed out of the Redskins name controversy. For example, he was one of just a few Senate Democrats to not sign a letter urging the team to change its name. At the time, his office told The Washington Post: "Senator Warner believes that it's not for Congress to dictate what the league does. He believes that over time, team names will change to reflect the times, as happened with the Washington Wizards."
The Washington Wizards, which Warner's spokesman referenced, used to be known as the Washington Bullets. --Eric Kleefeld
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Kremlin seeks to quell Assad divorce reports
Speed Read Media reports suggest that British citizen Asma al-Assad wants to leave the deposed Syrian dictator and return to London as a British citizen
By Hollie Clemence, The Week UK Published
-
Is there a Christmas curse on Downing Street?
Today's Big Question Keir Starmer could follow a long line of prime ministers forced to swap festive cheer for the dreaded Christmas crisis
By The Week UK Published
-
Are pig-organ transplants becoming a reality?
The Explainer US woman has gene-edited pig-kidney transplant, and scientists hope experimental surgery could save thousands of lives
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published