Yesterday, Republican Party standard bearer and likely nominee Donald Trump refused to denounce David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan. This is the same Trump that retweets white supremacists, calls Mexican immigrants rapists, and excuses the assault of a Black Lives Matter activist (the list goes on). Despite all of this, Brian Fitzpatrick has remained silent adding this development to the list of the things his campaign refuses do including, building a website, announcing a platform, discussing issues, and responding to Congressional votes.
“Brian Fitzpatrick has been mute since he announced in PA-8, but he can’t continue to remain silent after Donald Trump refused to unequivocally denounce the Ku Klux Klan,” said Jermaine House of DCCC. “It’s not at all surprising, that a candidate whose campaign plan is to say nothing, while hoping voters recognize his last name, won’t speak out against the racist elements in his party.”
And let’s not forget that Marco Rubio was introduced yesterday by former Senator George Allen. Allen infamously hurled a racial slur at a Democratic staffer during his failed reelection campaign, kept a noose in his office, and was exposed for praising the confederate flag. All this is to say, the troubling association between racially charged behavior and leading Republicans’ silence is troubling for Republicans in Pennsylvania.