A liberal pollster at Whitman Insight Strategies in New York City weighed in on the Virginia gubernatorial race on Monday, calling Republican candidate Ed Gillespie a "racist."
Matt McDermott has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and Republicans on Twitter. He has suggested Trump be impeached and has resorted to ad hominem attacks against Republican lawmakers and their supporters.
"This election is simple enough: Ed Gillespie is a racist. Ralph Northam is not a racist. Virginians deserves a governor who is not a racist," McDermott tweeted.
This election is simple enough: Ed Gillespie is a racist. Ralph Northam is not a racist. Virginians deserves a governor who is not a racist.
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) November 7, 2017
"Seriously can't believe we have to ask people to sanely vote for the non-racist candidate, but here we are," McDermott wrote.
Seriously can't believe we have to ask people to sanely vote for the non-racist candidate, but here we are.
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) November 7, 2017
McDermott went on to encourage his followers in Virginia to get out and vote for Gillespie's Democratic opponent, Ralph Northam, by sharing a tweet from Trump where the president castigated Northam. The Trump critic added, "Stop the BS. Vote Northam. Fuck Trump."
Ralph Northam is literally a vet himself.
Donald Trump is a draft dodger.Stop the BS. Vote Northam. Fuck Trump. https://t.co/oX5Ux2xZLF
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) November 7, 2017
He also tweeted a picture of Gillespie and supporters holding Trump and Gillespie signs in the background, adding a caption that insinuated Gillespie would not "stand up to Trump." McDermott did not provide any additional evidence to support the claim.
Virginia, the signs behind Ed Gillespie on the trail today tell you all you need to know about which candidate will stand up to Trump. pic.twitter.com/3zNJMPtMKN
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) November 7, 2017
McDermott has a history of sending out tweets against Trump that turned out not to be true. Back in April, he tweeted that the Obamas spent every Easter attending a church service and claimed Trump hadn't attended church once since his inauguration.
The Obama's spent every Easter attending church service. Trump hasn't attended church once since his inauguration. Where's the GOP outrage? pic.twitter.com/5zOBO616LM
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) April 16, 2017
This turned out not to be true as illustrated by CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller who tweeted a picture of Trump's motorcade departing Bethesda-by-the-Sea Church in Palm Beach, Fla. a few hours after McDermott's original tweet. Several reporters, including CNN's Andrew Kaczynski, called McDermott out for leaving up his viral tweet, despite it being factually inaccurate. The tweet is still on his account.
McDermott also claimed in a May 2016 tweet, which has since been deleted, "Anyone that tells you Trump can win Michigan or Pennsylvania against Hillary Clinton should never work in American politics again."
— Gideon Resnick (@GideonResnick) April 12, 2017
Trump won both Michigan and Pennsylvania during the 2016 presidential election.