Former CPAC leader calls Trump 'social poison' over 'bigoted' campaign ad


President Trump unveiled a new ad meant to boost the Republican Party, but many Republicans want nothing to do with it.
The ad, which reeks of Willie Horton-esque fear-mongering, drew fierce critique from the former chairman of the Florida Republican Party, Al Cardenas. He condemned Trump as a "despicable divider" and a "social poison" to America. Cardenas once chaired the American Conservative Union, which hosts the prominent Conservative Political Action Conference, but he has long opposed Trump on many fronts. And in his Thursday tweet, Cardenas asserted that Trump's ad would "condemn you and your bigoted legacy forever."
The Wednesday ad, paid for by Trump's campaign and released less than a week before the midterms, features footage of a twice-deported Mexican man gloating about "kill[ing] cops." It claims "Democrats let him into our country," and suggests the migrant caravan still more than 1,000 miles from the U.S. would bring more like-minded criminals.
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.
Fellow conservatives, including retiring Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), have spoken out against Trump's newest ad, but Cardenas' condemnation is one of the harshest yet.
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
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge: Nazis treated better than Trump deportees
speed read U.S. District Judge James Boasberg reaffirmed his order barring President Donald Trump from deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US officials share war plans with journalist in group chat
Speed Read Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg was accidentally added to a Signal conversation about striking Yemen
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada's Mark Carney calls snap election
speed read Voters will go to the polls on April 28 to pick a new government
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk set to earn billions from Trump administration
Speed Read Musk's company SpaceX will receive billions in federal government contracts in the coming years
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reports: Musk to get briefed on top secret China war plan
Speed Read In a major expansion of Elon Musk's government role, he will be briefed on military plans for potential war with China
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump signs order to end Education Department
Speed Read The move will return education 'back to the states where it belongs,' the president says
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pauses $175M for Penn over trans athlete
Speed Read The president is withholding federal funds from the University of Pennsylvania because it once allowed a transgender swimmer to compete
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published