MI GOP candidate faces probe over 'error' that 'will undoubtedly lead to confusion by Black voters': report

14 October 2024

A complaint was filed Sunday against Michigan US congressional candidate Tom Barrett, a Republican, over a full-page campaign ad that appeared to suppress voter turnout, The Washington Post reports.

Per the report, over what Barrett spokesman Jason Roe claims to be "a proofing error," the GOP candidate is now "facing calls for an investigation" after the ad incorrectly listed Election Day as November 6 in the Michigan Bulletin — one of the Great Lake State's Black-owned newspapers earlier this month.

Election Day is November 5.

Roe told the Post "'this was nothing but a proofing error' that is inconsistent with the campaign’s other advertisements aimed at Black voters — including mailers that were sent on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9 that include the correct date for the election."

He then added, "The goal is to earn more support from Black voters."

The Post reports that the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus — the coalition that filed the complaint — remains unconvinced by Roe's claim, calling it an "insidious campaign tactic [that] unfortunately appears to be part of a national trend' of election disinformation targeting Black voters."

The group emphasized that "it strains credulity that this was a simple mistake. Tom Barrett and his Campaign placed two nearly identical ads in two different newspapers within a week of each other. The ad placed in the newspaper read predominantly by Black voters has the wrong election date; while the ad placed in the newspaper not read predominantly by Black voters has the correct election date."

"At best, Tom Barrett and his Campaign have committed a shocking oversight which will undoubtedly lead to confusion by Black voters in Lansing," the group added. "And, at worst, this ad could be part of an intentional strategy to ‘deter’ Black voters by deceiving them into showing up to vote on the day after the 2024 election.”

The Washington Post's full report is available at this link (subscription required).

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