Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell (Ala.) dodged a question Sunday on whether she believed the racially insensitive mailer released by Alabama Democratic Senate candidate Doug Jones' campaign was wrong, but then later admitted that it was a mistake.
ABC's "This Week" host Martha Raddatz said she wanted to get Sewell's reaction on the mailer, citing a local African American voter who told a local news outlet that he would not be voting in Alabama's special election because it was a "complete slap in the face."
"Think if a black man went after high school girls anyone would try to make him a Senator?" the mailer read.
Vice News reporter Alexandra Jaffe posted a picture of the mailer on Twitter.
Per @AlxThomp — Doug Jones camp is sending out this mailer in Alabama #ALSen pic.twitter.com/U3LMN7kNPw
— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) December 6, 2017
"Well, listen. Mailers don't vote. It's people who vote and I really believe the folks of Alabama will see through all of this nonsense about Roy Moore," Sewell said.
"Was that mailer a mistake? Do you think that was a mistake? I know people vote and mailers don't, but was it a mistake?" Raddatz asked.
"Yeah. It was," Sewell said.
Sewell talked about how the voters weren't looking at just one piece of campaign literature, but would be assessing what Jones' Republican opponent Roy Moore was saying about why he is the right candidate. Moore has been endorsed by President Donald Trump but faces multiple past allegations of sexual misconduct with teenaged girls, which he denies.
The Root, an online magazine dedicated to black culture, published a piece on Thursday entitled, "A Racist Flyer Might Cost Doug Jones the Election Because the Entire Democratic Party Is Trash."
"Someone, probably a white man, thought that the image would resonate with black people and motivate them to get out the vote. It’s as if black people were considering voting for the child molester until some brilliant strategist posited, "What if he were black, though?" the article said.
The special election will be held on Dec. 12.