Democratic group pulls ad targeting Virginia governor hopeful Ed Gillespie's supporters

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Dem group pulls ad targeting GOP's Gillespie in Virginia

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel sounds off 'reprehensible' ad in gubernatorial race.

A television ad depicting supporters of Virginia gubernatorial hopeful Ed Gillespie as Confederates who attack children of color has been pulled in the wake of the terror attack in New York City.

The Democratic group Latino Victory Fund removed the controversial ad, which showed a pickup truck driver chasing down children of color on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

“We knew our ad would ruffle feathers. We held a mirror up to the Republican Party, and they don’t like what they see. We have decided to pull our ad at this time,” said Cristobal J. Alex, president of the LVF, in a statement on Twitter Tuesday evening.

“Given recent events, we will be placing other powerful ads into rotation that highlight the reasons we need to elect progressive leaders in Virginia.”

The statement was released just hours after investigators said the suspected driver, identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov, plowed a rented pickup truck into a crowd in Lower Manhattan. The incident, being treated as a terror attack, left at least eight dead and at least 11 others injured.

The ad was released on Monday and was expected to run through Election Day.

Gillespie denounced the ad Tuesday morning in an interview with “Fox & Friends.”

“This attack is not just an attack on my supporters, it’s an attack on all Virginians. The fact is, whether you disagree with people or not, in Virginia, we respect civil discourse and this is a new low in politics here. It’s a sad day,” Gillespie said.

In a statement to Fox News, Gillespie’s campaign manager called the ad a “desperate smear campaign.”