Republican Sen. David Perdue of Georgia on Monday night took down a campaign ad on Facebook featuring an image of his Democratic opponent Jon Ossoff, who is Jewish, with a larger-than-life nose. Critics condemned the ad as being anti-Semitic.
The fund-raising ad, which was first reported by The Forward, showed black and white photographs of two Jewish politicians: Ossoff, the managing director and CEO of Insight TWI, an investigative television production company, and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY). The ad declares: “Democrats are trying to buy Georgia!” and the big nose on Ossof’s face plays in harmony with familiar notions of Jews and money.
Bend the Arc: Jewish Action tweeted side by side Ossoff’s real face, with a prominent but not outlandish proboscis, and the “enhanced” version on the Republican ad, saying, “This is blatant anti-Semitism. It’s not an accident. It’s their platform.”
Senator David Perdue just ran an attack ad that artificially enlarged the nose of his Jewish opponent, Jon .
The ad claims that “Democrats are trying to buy Georgia.”
This is blatant antisemitism. It’s not an accident. It’s their platform., apologize now. pic.twitter.com/h0sOpllgHe
— Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction)
The Purdue campaign released a statement saying, “Anybody who implies that this was anything other than an inadvertent error, is intentionally misrepresenting Senator Perdue’s strong and consistent record of standing firmly against anti-Semitism and all forms of hate.”
Jon Ossoff, for his part, tweeted: “This is the oldest, most obvious, least original anti-Semitic trope in history. Senator, literally no one believes your excuses.”
Sitting U.S. Senator David Perdue’s digital attack ad distorted my face to enlarge and extend my nose.
I’m Jewish.
This is the oldest, most obvious, least original anti-Semitic trope in history.
Senator, literally no one believes your excuses.https://t.co/PiA7P4O4M2
— Jon Ossoff (@ossoff)
According to Facebook, the ad was posted on July 22, and registered at least 3,000 impressions, which isn’t a good number at all, anti-Semitism aside.
According to Real Clear Politics, as of July 2, Purdue was leading his Democratic opponent by 4 points, which is within the margin of error. On July 24, the Cook Political Report upgraded the Senate race in Georgia to a toss-up.