A recent digital ad from U.S. Rep Peter Roskam (R-IL) has earned the Ad of the Week designation from Axios, an international news website.
The ad features 6th District residents reading aloud and reacting to the tweets and other statements of Roskam’s opponent, Democrat Sean Casten, who often publishes “offensive and divisive” comments, a Roskam press release said.
In making the distinction, Axios said the ad parodies late-night talk host Jimmy Kimmel’s bit where famous people read mean tweets about themselves.
“The women read lines like, ‘I view abortion as a medical procedure like a gall bladder surgery’ and ‘Suburban women don’t want a representative who is crazier than their lives,’” Axios said in its nomination, the press release states.
Although Casten says the comments show his sense of humor, the press release states, Roskam spokeswoman Veronica Vera said Casten’s rhetoric “alienates voters.”
“How can the 6th District expect him to work across the aisle – or others to work with him – when he calls Republicans names like pedophiles, morons, Nazis and racists?” Vera said in a press release. “He has set a relentless anti-Republican tone in his candidacy, and it is scattered all over his Twitter feed.”
Roskam will face Casten in the Nov. 6 general election.
The 6th District U.S. Congressional seat represents the communities of Crystal Lake, Darien, Elgin, Naperville, Oakbrook Terrace, Rolling Meadows, St. Charles, Warrenville, West Chicago and Wheaton.
