Arizona Republican House candidate Jerone Davison—a former American football running back and current Evangelical Christian pastor—had people scratching their heads after he released a campaign ad in which he claims he needs an AR-15 to protect himself against Democrats in "Klan hoods."
Davison, who provided voiceover for the ad, criticized Democrats who've said "no one needs" assault weapons and advocated for gun control, insisting one is necessary to defend himself against “a dozen angry Democrats in Klan hoods.”
The ad, which you can see below, shows Davison preparing to face men wearing hoods reminiscent of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) by walking toward them with a loaded AR-15.
Its title: "Make Rifles Great Again."
\u201cAZ GOP Congressional candidate Jerone Davison releases an ad that AR-15s and high capacity mags should be legal in case he has to defend against \u201ca dozen angry Democrats in Klan hoods.\u201d\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1657128460
Davison's ad comes mere weeks after the Senate reached a deal on a package of safety and gun-related measures to prevent future mass shootings.
The deal, which includes funds to encourage states to pass and implement so-called "red flag" laws to remove guns from a person who they believe may present a danger to others or themselves as well as money for school safety and mental health resources and expanded background checks.
The deal came amid nationwide outrage over a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers. Since then, the nation has been gripped by more mass shootings, particularly one at an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois that resulted in seven deaths and more than 40 injuries.
However, the shootings have only emboldened Republicans who have increased their pro-gun sales rhetoric and some, like Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have opted to eat their own, as when she criticized South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham after news outlets reported he was involved in bipartisan Senate negotiations on gun legislation.
Davison's ad has been harshly criticized.
\u201cWhere are the Democrats he's trying to defend himself against? I only see the average Republican voters.\u201d— Braden \ud83c\udffa (@Braden \ud83c\udffa) 1657136608
\u201cI\u2019m not a historian or expert but I feel like these political ads are going to start a civil war if it keeps on going like this\u201d— Ariana Afshar (she/her) (@Ariana Afshar (she/her)) 1657138553
\u201cin case y\u2019all wondering how low *folk* will go to procure some of that sweet, sweet grift money\u2026\u201d— mike taddow (@mike taddow) 1657139574
\u201cJust as I despair at the political madness that seems to be descending on the UK, I have a reminder of the state of the body politic here in the US:\u201d— John Authers (@John Authers) 1657140946
\u201cAngry Democrats In Klan Hoods? WTF Is Happening In AZ???\u201d— Foreigner \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7 (@Foreigner \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7) 1657138679
\u201cAnd folks ask why I have no respect for Black Republicans or conservatives.\u201d— Rugged Amethyst #TexasBorn #CaliBred (@Rugged Amethyst #TexasBorn #CaliBred) 1657139228
\u201cIs he time travelling to Mississippi in the 1950s?\n\nSeriously, those folks all switched to the GOP years ago. I worked in Alabama in the Reagan years when it happened!\u201d— Will Bunch (@Will Bunch) 1657141104
\u201cThis is what we're dealing with in Arizona. Candidates who think they need an AR-15 to protect themselves from democrats. \n\nI assume this would be the weapon of choice for Debbie Lesko when she murders her grandkids to own the libs.\u201d— Ryan Shead (@Ryan Shead) 1657142097
\u201cI take a nap for 2 fricking hours and come back to "Democrats in Klan" trending. \n\nThis guy is another has-been former football player who is running for crazy Gosar\u2019s seat and whose campaign is being run by a Q-Anon influencer.\n\nMAG\ud83e\udd21TS coming out of the woodwork.\u201d— \ud83c\udf3b\ud83d\ude4b\ud83c\udffb Bevvy Votes Blue \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf0a 2022 (@\ud83c\udf3b\ud83d\ude4b\ud83c\udffb Bevvy Votes Blue \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udf0a 2022) 1657143371
Davison has used his campaign to highlight what he says are examples of constitutional rights "under unprecedented assault." He has vowed to initiate a "War on Corruption" if elected and believes he can "challenge toxic narratives and work every day to uplift the spirit of this nation."
When not accusing Democrats of being members of the KKK, Davison entertains conspiracy theories. He hired Austin Steinbart, who claims he’s a deep-cover agent from the future for the Defense Intelligence Agency and whose ideas have been considered too "out there" even for QAnon, to be his campaign manager.