GOP launches new ad aimed at African-American voters

by Mallory Shelbourne - 11/02/16 1:31 PM ET

The Republican National Committee (RNC) launched a new ad Wednesday directed at African-American voters in the final week before the presidential election.

The 30-second ad, which features a number of African-Americans and focuses on jobs and education, will run on national cable outlets such as BET and TV One, according to the RNC.

{mosads}”For too long, Hillary Clinton and Democrats have failed to deliver solutions that will grow our economy, improve our schools and reform our criminal justice system,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement.

“The Republican Party is committed to a better future for all communities, and all of our Republican candidates are going to lead our nation in a new direction and provide meaningful change for the African American community,” he added.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced its own ad buy Wednesday highlighting Republican nominee Donald Trump’s “disrespectful” comments toward African-Americans. The radio ad will air in battleground states including Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Ohio.

The ad buys come as early-voting data indicate turnout among African-Americans in North Carolina and Florida is down from 2012 levels.

President Obama on Wednesday sounded the alarm about black turnout, saying that while “the overall vote is up,” “the African-American vote, right now, is not as solid as it needs to be.”

Tags Donald Trump Hillary Clinton RNC