VIDEO: American Bridge Launches New Ad Featuring Satirical Text Exchange Between Corey Stewart And “Establishment” Ed

Today, American Bridge launched a new digital ad campaign showcasing Ed Gillespie desperate attempts to court his immigrant-demonizing, Confederate-flag-praising primary opponent Corey Stewart. The ad imagines a text exchange between Gillespie and Stewart about a potential endorsement, based off of a recent report by The Washington Post.

Stewart has so far declined to officially endorse Gillespie. During the primary, Stewart nearly toppled Gillespie while railing against him for being a “shady lobbyist,” a “liar,” and “establishment weak-kneed, weak-chinned, weak-jawed Republican.” Since the primary, Gillespie has embraced Stewart and Trump’s immigrant-bashing, race-baiting campaign tactics, and begun courtingStewart with the help of Donald Trump henchman Steve Bannon.

American Bridge spokesperson Lizzy Price made the following comment:

“Ed Gillespie is desperately pandering to neo-confederate Corey Stewart, showing once and for all that he’ll sell out anyone or anything — Virginians, his own dignity — to get ahead. […]

Read more after the jump.

ICYMI: Ingraham and Brat Trash Gillespie Hours Before Brat To Appear With Gillespie

Just hours before Ed Gillespie is scheduled to campaign with Rep. Dave Brat in Goochland, Brat appeared on Laura Ingraham’s radio show to discuss Gillespie’s failing campaign.

As Brat murmured in agreement, Ingraham trashed Gillespie’s campaign, calling his high-dollar fundraising appearance with George Bush a “huge mistake” and saying, “Ed Gillespie is seen as a strong member of the establishment GOP. The establishment GOP has approval ratings up in the high teens.”

She goes on to complain, “He never picked up the phone and contacted me. We’ve invited [Gillespie] on this radio show. He refuses to come on the radio show despite its popularity throughout the commonwealth — and that tells you everything you need to know. You know who else didn’t come on this show? Eric Cantor. John Boehner.” She concludes, “the track record for people who haven’t come on our show is not very good.”

Brat himself admits Gillespie […]

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After Pence Touts Gillespie’s Loyalty to Trump, Gillespie Claims He Doesn’t Know Trump

Someone should tell Ed Gillespie that he isn’t fooling anyone. In an interview with The New York Times, Gillespie claimed he didn’t know Donald Trump and therefore could not attest to his ethics, a line that no one in their right mind should believe, especially considering the events of this weekend. Just days ago Vice President Mike Pence campaigned for Gillespie, during which time Pence touted Gillespie’s loyalty to the Republican Party and to the Trump-Pence team.

At that event, Pence also said that “Trump is going to be working tirelessly with Ed Gillespie to pave the way for health care reform.” That same reform would undoubtedly rip away access to health care for thousands of Virginians and take away protections that ensure women don’t pay more than men for their health care.

Pence also claimed that Trump’s policies were “turning America around,” and that “ Read more after the jump.

Florida Times-Union Editorial: Finally, Word Is Getting Out On The Opioid Crisis

The Florida Times-Union called out Governor Rick Scott in an editorial Friday for putting partisan ideology above Floridians suffering from the escalating opioid crisis.

As detailed in a new five-minute documentary and a 30-page research report released yesterday by American Bridge, Rick Scott’s response to the epidemic has been inadequate and indifferent.

Florida Times Union Editorial: Finally, word is getting out on the opioid crisis
October 12, 2017

The deaths arising from opioid overdoses continue in Jacksonville
Unfortunately, the ideological opposition to Medicaid among many Republicans, including Scott, have denied many Floridians the help they need.
[T]he state Agency for Health Care Administration has proposed budget cuts that would reduce Medicaid payments to hospitals by nearly $1 billion. This would be on top of nearly $500 million in cuts for hospitals during the 2017 legislative session.
A hospital lobbyist called the cuts “devastating” and ‘mind blowing,” as quoted in Sunshine State News.
The state’s approach that uses […]

Read more after the jump.

Ed Gillespie’s support for bigotry on full display this afternoon in NOVA

This afternoon the same Ed Gillespie who has been accused of “stoking racial fears” by launching “super-racist, anti-immigrant” attack ads plans to attend a Dulles-area Muslim society meeting, a move that will put his previous support for bigotry on full display.

This year, Gillespie has refused to criticize Trump’s Muslim Ban, tacitly approving an effort that was effectively “government-sanctioned discrimination” of Muslims. And just days before his primary, Gillespie refused to denounce an anti-Muslim activist who touted the need to preserve Judeo-Christian culture. The group he worked for was labeled an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

American Bridge spokesperson Lizzy Price made the following statement:

“Virginia voters won’t be deceived by Ed Gillespie – he has stood by Trump at every turn and has approved of his racist Muslim ban and divisive and disgusting […]

Read more after the jump.

A Year After Hurricane Matthew, Counties Ask Rick Scott: Where’s Our Money?

“If you’re not a wealthy insider, Rick Scott just doesn’t care about you. It’s clear that helping North Florida counties recover from catastrophic storms isn’t a priority for Rick Scott — he’s busy helping the wealthy and big corporations get special treatment. After all, he doesn’t have to deal with flooded roads or busted local budgets. He can fly over all that in his private jet,” said American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp.

Tampa Bay Times: A year after Hurricane Matthew, counties ask Rick Scott: Where’s our money?
By Steve Bousquet, October 12, 2017

“After Hurricane Irma ravaged Florida, an impatient Gov. Rick Scott insisted that all counties remove debris, reopen roads.”
“As the costs of Irma’s Category 4 fury are still being calculated, several North Florida counties hammered by Hurricane Matthew — one year ago — are still waiting to be repaid for the cost of debris removal, road repair and police overtime from […]

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American Bridge Releases New Documentary and Report on Rick Scott’s Opioid Crisis

American Bridge today released a new five-minute documentary and a 30-page research reportholding Governor Rick Scott accountable for his abysmal response to the escalating opioid epidemic in Florida.

The five-minute documentary details Rick Scott’s inadequate and indifferent response to Florida’s opioid crisis, and will be promoted on social media channels to American Bridge’s audience in Florida.

To view American Bridge’s documentary, click here.
To read American Bridge’s report on Florida’s opioid crisis, click here.

“Thousands of Floridians are dying every year from opioid abuse and Rick Scott has done next to nothing to help them,” said American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp. “No matter how many campaign photo-ops he does now, the truth is Rick Scott has been totally unprepared and absent while the opioid crisis in Florida has exploded, and Floridians won’t let him forget it.”

An estimated 5,300 Floridians died of opioid overdoses last […]

Read more after the jump.