The ad depicts various groups of people. | Photo: YouTube/Rich Miller
Republican State Representative Jeanne Ives is running against Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner in the Republican primary this year. Over the weekend, she released an ad that has many people up in arms.
It portrays various actors taking on the roles of a transgender woman, a feminist at the Woman’s March, and more.
In the video, they sarcastically thank Governor Rauner for numerous bills.
At the end, they simply say: ‘Thank you for betraying Illinois Republicans.’
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The condemned legislation
‘Thank you for signing legislation that lets me use the girls’ bathroom,’ says the actor playing a trans woman in a dress.
The House Bill in question — 1785 — allows people to change their gender on birth certificates with a doctor’s permission. It says nothing about bathrooms.
Another bill, HB 40, expanded state-funding for abortions for women on Medicaid. The actor in a pink ‘pussy’ hat thanks Rauner for making ‘Illinois families pay for my abortions’.
The Illinois Trust Act is another piece of legislation. It prohibits authorities from detaining people based on their immigration status.
‘Nakedly bigoted’
The ad quickly faced scrutiny and criticism.
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider released a statement:
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider’s statement on State Rep. Jeanne Ives’ recently released campaign advertisement: #twill #ilgov pic.twitter.com/kWXJrjDKle
— IL Republican Party (@ilgop) February 3, 2018
The statement says Ives’ ad ‘does not reflect who we are as the Party of Lincoln’. It also advises Ives to take down the ad.
Former Republican chairman Pat Brady called it ‘racist, bigoted, homophobic’.
This is the @JeanneIves and @DanProft we have known for years. There is no room in the Republican Party for racist, bigoted, homophobic candidates like her. We are better than @JeanneIves #twill https://t.co/f7Sdq2g4Us
— Pat Brady (@pat_brady) February 2, 2018
Erika Holder, the state’s Attorney General, also released a statement:
Erika Harold’s Statement Regarding Ives Campaign Ad pic.twitter.com/ux4sowykLu
— Erika Harold (@ErikaHarold) February 3, 2018
State Representative Grant Wehrli called it ‘shameful’.
The TV ad from Rep. Ives is shameful. We should never attack fellow Illinoisans based on their gender or race. This ad does not represent the Republican Party and has no place in our political discourse.#twill #ilgov2018
— Grant Wehrli (@GrantWehrli) February 3, 2018
Several others chimed in as well.
The actors in that despicable, nakedly bigoted Jeanne Ives campaign ad—those aren’t Chicago actors, right? Surely?
— Kris Vire (@krisvire) February 3, 2018
.@JeanneIves has shown us who who she is: a bigot.
Time for @GovRauner to denounce the racism and bigotry in her ad. Silence is complicity. https://t.co/ZvlAgBjhfY
— Scott Smith (@ourmaninchicago) February 3, 2018
Ives, however, is defending her ad.
The fact is, on issue after issue, #Rauner betrayed the Republican legislative caucuses and Republicans families (as well as some Democrats on some issues). #twill #ilrevolution
— Jeanne Ives (@JeanneIves) February 5, 2018
The commercial does not attack people, it tackles issues by truthfully illustrating the constituencies #Rauner has chosen to serve to the exclusion of others. #twill #ilrevolution
— Jeanne Ives (@JeanneIves) February 5, 2018
As Christians, we believe every person is made in God’s image and deserving of dignity. I respect people who are different than me. I respect people who have different views than me. #twill #ilrevolution
— Jeanne Ives (@JeanneIves) February 5, 2018
The truth is uncomfortable for some and ignored by others. Certainly it has been a stranger to Bruce Rauner during his time as Governor. #twill #ilrevolution
— Jeanne Ives (@JeanneIves) February 5, 2018
The views expressed here aren’t new. In 2013, she called homosexual relationships ‘disordered‘.
