A North Carolina Republican candidate sparked immediate backlash after declaring that she was “smart, white, traditional” in a Facebook post.
The chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party condemned the now deleted post by Charlotte mayoral candidate Kimberley Paige Barnette, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“VOTE FOR ME!” she posted on Facebook. “REPUBLICAN & SMART, WHITE, TRADITIONAL.”
Charlotte GOP candidate says people should vote for her because she’s “REPUBLICAN & SMART, WHITE, TRADITIONAL.”
https://t.co/7TyKhCDhQU pic.twitter.com/ZUTQGATfYk— P A T • L E E (@pat_lee) September 5, 2017
— Lainie Green (@AureliaGroup) September 3, 2017
“Any suggestion that a candidate is more or less qualified for political office based on their skin color alone, is offensive to North Carolina Republicans and we condemn it,” GOP Chairman Robin Hayes said in a statement Tuesday. “This type of suggestion has no place in our public discourse.”
The 53-year-old candidate, who is running in the Sept. 12 primary against Gary Dunn and city council member Kenny Smith, reportedly deleted or disabled her Facebook page after removing the words “smart,” “white” and “traditional,” from the post.
Apparently now she is just REPUBLICAN. pic.twitter.com/rGs0d6w13w
— Jakob Andresen (@jakobandresen) September 3, 2017
“We believe that bringing people together starts with the Republican belief that government should deliver critical government services in a colorblind way,” Hayes continued in his statement, “and in a society that judges all people by the content of their character, rather than the color of their skin.’’
Facebook post by ‘white’ GOP mayoral candidate ‘offensive to NC Republicans’ https://t.co/8TI4XrCY0j
— Ronnie Glassberg (@ronnieglassberg) September 5, 2017
Rival candidate Smith called Barnette “a fringe candidate” and said her post “adds to the divisiveness we’ve seen.”
“She is boosting name ID with sort of absurd campaign tactics,” he said, according to the Observer.
Barnette had raised eyebrows in a mayoral debate last month.
“I don’t think we should encourage more lower-income people to (come to) Charlotte… We should attract higher-income people,” she said.
The candidate did not respond to requests for comment from Fox 46 TV which said it reached on on social media, called and went to her apartment.
Barnette defended herself in an email to LGBT newspaper, Q-Notes.
“I’m not prejudice. I do not judge other people. Other people judge me. What is the difference?” she wrote. “I say I’m white. Others describe themselves as example transgenders. Are they labeling themselves? I’m also a divorced mother of two adult children. I accept others as who they are. I have traditional conservative views when it comes to family and friendships.”
Barnette was blasted on social media though a few Twitter users did defend her based on “equality.”
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She’s making clear who her target/base is. Her skin color clearly matters to her and to the people she hopes to appeal to. Very telling.
— BLenroc (@BLenroc) September 1, 2017
#GOP…the only time “White” is considered a necessary adjective to describe one’s qualifications
— Amy “I rebel” (@amyjems) September 3, 2017
Disgusting. Like it matters.
— jeani ison (@IsonIson57) September 1, 2017
“She’s white”…Is that code for, I am better?! It will interesting to see how many votes she gets; Tells the truth regarding racial divide!
— corine mack (@1perfectpeace) September 2, 2017
Honest question if it doesn’t matter why do we hear about race constantly from Black & Hispanic candidates? Why is the a CBC?
— ChrisOnPolitics (@USA_First_2016) September 1, 2017
Did that bother you? I hear Black politicians talk about being Black all the time. So why can’t a White person do the same? #Equality
— ChrisOnPolitics (@USA_First_2016) September 1, 2017
How can you call yourself a traditional woman if you’re running for office?
— Political Doodle (@PoliticalDoodle) September 4, 2017
I am beginning to think that these new Republicans are born brain dead but yet they survive. What happened to the good Eisenhower Republican
— TheresaI (@Otispfudpucker) September 3, 2017
cc @deray …i just heard your voice in my head “watch whiteness work” pic.twitter.com/3Czr1UvbrJ
— Lindsey Ledford (@deborahlindseyl) September 4, 2017
It is inconceivable to me that someone would refer to themselves this way. It’s 2017. It astounds me
— Ellie McCormack ?? (@elliemccormack6) September 3, 2017
The “White” was supposed to be silent.
— Lil O (@Lilobri) September 4, 2017
Anyone who would cite “white” as a qualification must have very little else going for him/her.
— Kenneth Heintz (@ktheintz) September 3, 2017
Sometimes I think this crap is made up. Nope, it’s real…she really does advertise she’s white & REPUBLICANhttps://t.co/LxjqJHtueV
— Natalie Brackett (@NatalieTweetsRE) September 2, 2017
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