GOP megadonor running in one of America’s most diverse districts declares “China poisoned our people.”
Texas’ 22nd Congressional District is one of the most diverse congressional districts in the nation – a toss-up suburban battleground in Greater Houston that’s home to a significant Asian American population.
Starting today, Texans will see GOP megadonor Kathaleen Wall on their TV screens with a new ad claiming ‘China poisoned our people’ in reference to coronavirus. You may remember Wall from her recent claim that coronavirus would save lives in Texas by banning abortions.
From Roll Call:
“The spot begins with a narrator saying, ‘China poisoned our people. President Trump has the courage to call it what it is.’ The ad shows red arrows labeled ‘Chinese virus’ traveling from China to the U.S. and features footage of Trump saying ‘the Chinese virus.’
[…] “The district is among the diversifying suburban seats in Texas that Democrats are targeting this cycle and nearly 20 percent of the district’s population is Asian, according to Census Bureau estimates.”
“TX-22 is one of America’s most diverse districts and it’s home to a robust Asian American community. Naturally, extremist Kathaleen Wall is leading the charge to cut the most racist TV ad of 2020,” DCCC spokesman Avery Jaffe said. “This year, Texans have a chance to elect a unifier like Sri Preston Kulkarni and reject a divider like Kathaleen Wall who is all too happy to stoke racial tensions in pursuit of her own political career.”
Here’s what they’re saying:
Houston Chronicle: ‘China poisoned our people,’ says campaign ad from Houston candidate for Congress Kathaleen Wall
“The ad is airing as Wall donates portable hand sanitizers to the Houston Police Officers Union. In a picture of the donation posted on her Twitter page, the hand sanitizers have a ‘Made in China’ label on them.”
- “Democrat Sri Preston Kulkarni will face the winner in November in the general election and was quick to blast the ad.”
- “‘Irresponsible, race-baiting comments like these from Kathaleen Wall are unacceptable and dangerous to TX-22’s large Asian American and Pacific Islander population, who are intimately aware of the FBI warning about the recent surge of hate crimes against their community,’ Kulkarni said.”
Roll Call: At the Races: Pandemic hits airwaves
“One new ad drew attention to a competitive open-seat race in Texas’ 22nd District. Republican Kathaleen Wall, who is in a primary runoff there, just launched an ad that her potential Democratic opponent slammed as ‘race-baiting.’ The spot begins with a narrator saying, ‘China poisoned our people. President Trump has the courage to call it what it is.’ The ad shows red arrows labeled ‘Chinese virus’ traveling from China to the U.S. and features footage of Trump saying ‘the Chinese virus.’”
- “Democrat Sri Preston Kulkarni, who avoided a runoff by winning his March 3 primary outright, said the ad was ‘unacceptable and dangerous to TX-22’s large Asian American and Pacific Islander population, who are intimately aware of the FBI warning about the recent surge of hate crimes against their community.’ The district is among the diversifying suburban seats in Texas that Democrats are targeting this cycle and nearly 20 percent of the district’s population is Asian, according to Census Bureau estimates.”
Texas Tribune: DCCC adds Sri Preston Kulkarni to Red to Blue program
“The race for Olson’s seat heated up Wednesday after Wall released a TV ad supporting President Donald Trump’s description of the new coronavirus as the ‘Chinese virus.’ Kulkarni condemned the ad, calling it ‘unacceptable and dangerous’ to the district’s sizable Asian population.”
Newsweek: Citing Pause in Abortions, Texas GOP Candidate Says Coronavirus ‘Will Save More Lives Than It Takes’
“Speaking to Newsweek Saturday, Wall reiterated her belief that the abortion directive is saving lives. ‘While the coronavirus spread and resulting deaths are a grave concern for the people of this Country and Texas, the fact is that last week in Texas 700 lives were saved because the Governor stopped abortions. I think that is good news during these difficult times,’ she said.”
- “Sri Preston Kulkarni, a Democratic candidate who narrowly lost to Olson in 2018 and will face either Wall or Nehls in November, told Newsweek Saturday that his GOP counterpart’s abortion remarks are a perfect example of the ‘political games’ and trivialization which have hurt the federal government’s COVID-19 response. Kulkarni said Texas already leads the country with the highest maternal mortality rate and number of illegal abortions.”
Mother Jones: This #ProLife Texas Republican Wins With the Worst Coronavirus Take (At Least So Far This Week)
“Wall will compete in a run-off in July for the Republican nomination against Troy Nehls; if she wins, she will face Democrat Sri Preston Kulkarni, who narrowly lost a campaign against Olson in the 2018 midterms. As my colleague Tim Murphy reported then, the district is in one of the most racially diverse counties in the country and is by no means a Republican lock. Now that Olson is retiring, Cook Political Report classifies the race as a toss-up.”
- “Wall is a major donor to Texas Right to Life, a powerful anti-abortion group in a state that tends to be on the front lines of the abortion wars, and her campaign website describes her as ‘100% pro-life’ and vows she ‘will never give up on protecting innocent human life.’”
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