Black Republican criticizes Biden’s record on race in ad during CNN debate.

Texas Republican Congressman Wesley Hunt’s Hellfire PAC has made a bold move by purchasing a six-figure ad buy in swing state cities with large Black populations. This ad is set to air during Thursday’s presidential debate on CNN, targeting President Biden’s record on race.

Representative Hunt is a key Republican lawmaker who has been spearheading former President Trump’s outreach to Black voters. The ad buy is part of a national campaign that aims to shed light on what Hunt describes as President Biden’s “real record on race.”

The ad, created by Hellfire PAC, kicks off by featuring a moment from the 2020 Democratic presidential primary where Biden’s now-Vice President, Kamala Harris, questioned his past opposition to school desegregation. Harris accused Biden of working with segregationist lawmakers to oppose “bussing,” a practice meant to promote desegregation.

The video then goes on to highlight Biden’s connections with segregationist Southern Democrats such as James O. Eastland of Mississippi and Herman Talmadge of Georgia. Biden’s comments praising the “civility” of the old Senate and his ability to work with opponents of racial integration have also been included in the ad.

Various cringe-inducing statements from Biden’s political career are quoted in the ad, including a remark from 2012 where he warned Black voters that Republicans would “put y’all back in chains.” Another gaffe from 2019, where Biden made a questionable comparison between poor kids and white kids, is also mentioned.

The video takes a dig at Biden quoting him as describing former President Obama, his old running mate, as “the first sort of mainstream African American who is articulate, and bright and clean — nice looking guy.” The ad emphasizes that if any Republican had a similar history on race as Biden, they would be condemned by the media.

In response to the ad, a senior spokesperson for the Biden-Harris campaign, Sarafina Chitika, brought up Biden’s achievements like securing record low Black unemployment, historic funding for HBCUs, capping insulin costs, and student loan forgiveness to close the racial wealth gap. Chitika contrasted this with Trump’s record of rising unemployment and uninsured rates for the Black community.

However, Hunt and his fellow colleague Rep. Byron Donalds were quick to hit the campaign trail, with an event dubbed “Congress, Cognac, and Cigars.” This event, moderated by former ESPN host Sage Steele, focused on discussions about how Black male voters will influence the upcoming 2024 election.

Trump won 19% of Black male voters in the 2020 election according to multiple exit polls, a substantial increase from previous elections. Despite this, the majority of Black voters still chose Biden.

The Hellfire PAC ad is stirring up controversy by shedding light on aspects of Biden’s record on race that are often overlooked. It remains to be seen how this targeted ad campaign will impact the ongoing political landscape and influence voter opinions.