A Republican political action group focused on preserving the GOP majority in the South Carolina Senate has launched its first advertisements of the 2020 election cycle – a digital/ television/ mail campaign criticizing first term senator Mia McLeod for allegedly being “Missing In Action” at the S.C. State House.
“Where is senator Mia McLeod?” the ad’s female narrator asks viewers in the opening line of the 30-second spot. “She’s gone M.I.A. – missing work 21 percent of the time.”
The spot proceeds to feature footage from sessions of the S.C. Senate in which McLeod is seen as “not voting” when her name is called by S.C. Senate reading clerk John Wienges. In one of the clips, Wienges looks around the chamber to see if McLeod is present after calling her name.
“If you missed work one day every week, what would happen?” the narrator continued.
“It’s time to send Mia McLeod a message,” a statement accompanying the ad noted. “If you don’t show up to work, you’re fired!”
Take a look …
(Click to view)
(Via: American Freedom and Opportunity PAC)
McLeod has represented S.C. Senate District 22 (.pdf) since 2016. Prior to that, she served in the S.C. House of Representatives from 2011-2016.
District 22 includes the fast-growing northeast Columbia region of Richland county (McLeod’s hometown) as well as a portion of neighboring Kershaw county. McLeod is seeking a second four-year term this November. She is running against Lee Blatt.
The race is one of many competitive S.C. Senate elections this fall (see here and here).
This news outlet reached out to McLeod to get her thoughts on the advertising blitz headed her way. We did not immediately receive a response from her, but in the event we do we will update our coverage. And as always, our news outlet has an open microphone policy for those looking to respond more extensively to our coverage (or proactively raise issues).
The ads targeting McLeod are paid for by the American Freedom and Opportunity PAC, an entity many are viewing as a successor to the S.C. Senate Republican caucus. The latter group has been effectively sidelined by a recent court ruling governing its political contributions.
Stay tuned for updates on this developing story …
UPDATE || McLeod responds …
-FITSNews
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