Seattle mayoral candidate pulls ad criticized as racist

Seattle mayoral candidate M. Lorena González stopped airing a campaign ad that critics claimed was racist, The Seattle Times reports.

González announced on Monday that she was pulling the ad targeting rival Bruce Harrell ahead of the Nov. 2 election amid backlash.

The ad attacked Harrell, who is Black and Asian American, for not joining González in calling for Mayor Ed Murray’s resignation in 2017 when he was accused of sexual abuse. Instead of using a Murray accuser, the ad featured a white rape survivor, which some argued perpetuated harmful racially motivated stereotypes. The woman’s message was also featured in mailers sent to Seattle households by the González campaign.

As of Monday, more than 400 people had signed a petition condemning the ad, the Times notes.

“The intense community outpouring this false and racist commercial sparked speaks to the pain it brought not just to the Black community, but to our entire city,” Harrell said in a statement speaking out against González’s campaign efforts.

He added, “The damage done by these ads and mailers cannot be erased, but neither can the strength and resolve of our city.”

In her announcement about discontinuing the ad, González said although she stands by the message behind the ad, she admits the focus on a white woman was problematic.

“I am sorry we did not work harder to center the voice of a sexual assault survivor from our community of color who was also willing to tell their story,” González said, according to the Times.