A Republican candidate and law enforcement officer in California is promising to "take Linda Sanchez out" in a campaign ad against the incumbent Democratic representative that features an animated machine gun.
In the 5-minute commercial posted to YouTube on Monday, a machine is seen blasting away at a wall to reveal the message, "Jorge Robles for Congress: Take Linda Sanchez Out of Office."
The ad goes on to declare that Rep. Linda Sanchez is a "hot mess" because she has not paid off her student loans and "has problems budgeting her lifestyle."
It concludes with the animation of a machine gun again firing at a wall with Sanchez's name on it.
Robles campaign manager Robert Davis pointed to the candidate's job as a state parole agent as an explanation for the violent imagery.
"Mr. Robles is in law enforcement, if you’re not aware of that, so I think it’s his way of just kind of sending our message," Davis told Politicker. "We’re going after Linda Sanchez, not in the way that portrays it to be if you’re thinking like that."
Sanchez is in a three-way race with Robles and Republican accountant Benjamin Campos in the heavily-Democratic 38th District. The primary is being held on Tuesday, but because of the top-two primary format, Sanchez will almost certainly face one of the Republicans again in November.
Last year, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was shot in Arizona after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) put her on a "target list" that included an image of crosshairs over the congresswoman's district.
Robles did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
