Brian Kemp wants Georgia voters to know he supports the second amendment and intends to strengthen it if he is elected governor.
To drive that point home his new campaign ad shows him sitting in a chair, gun in hand, next to a man named “Jake,” who is interested in dating one of his daughters.
While cleaning his gun, he begins by quizzing his daughter’s gentleman caller on the candidate’s platform for governor and then asks Jake what two points he needs to consider prior to dating his daughter.
“Jake” recites “respect” is necessary as well as “a healthy appreciation for the second amendment,” at which point Kemp points the gun directly at “Jake” and says the two of them will get along just fine.
A video of the ad is below so you can see it for yourself:
While it is unclear how voters will receive the ad, 11Alive reports that several viewers have asked the station to stop airing the ad. Comments on the Kemp campaign’s YouTube channel vary from those who found the ad humorous to those who were disturbed by the imagery.
The second amendment has become a contentious issue among the candidates in the republican field for governor after Clay Tippins accused Hunter Hill of being a “Benedict Arnold” when it comes to the second amendment.
Kemp’s latest ad makes a strong show of support for the second amendment and could bolster support among his republican base, but that strategy could backfire. According to a set of polls conducted for Cox Media Group, the majority of Georgians now favor stronger gun laws.
What do you think? Is the ad a brilliant example of Kemp’s humor, a step too far, or right on the money? Share your opinion of the ad in the poll and comments below.