The ad endorsing Arizona-based Democrat politician David Brill begins unremarkably, and yet in two days, it’s garnered over 1.2 million views.
Grace, a rural physician, begins to denounce Brill’s opponent, the Republican Congressman for Arizona’s Fourth District, Paul Gosar.
“Paul Gosar the congressman isn’t doing anything to support rural America,” she says. Her sentiment is echoed by five other Brill supporters who denounce Gosar’s handling of healthcare, job security, water management and environment policy.
These regular Americans – Grace, David, Tim, Joan, Gaston, and Jennifer – it turns out, all have one thing in common.
Their surname.
Forty seconds into the video, Tim looks at the camera and says, “My name is Tim Gosar”.
“Paul Gosar is my brother,” Grace says.
“And I wholeheartedly endorse Dr Brill,” Tim finishes.
Watch the viral ad against Paul Gosar right here:
Adding context to what appears to be an intense inter-family rivalry, Congressman Gosar’s siblings have spoken to the Phoenix New Times.
“None of us are doing this for publicity. None of us even want to do it,” says Wyoming attorney, David.
“We gotta stand up for our good name.
“This is not who we are.”
The six siblings passionately disagree with the extreme-ring wing politics of their brother, Paul.
Congressman Gosar is known for being an avid climate-change denier, even boycotting a speech to Congress by Pope Francis in 2015 because of the Pope’s support of climate change. Gosar publicly backs President Donald Trump’s strict anti-immigration laws, and believes in the conspiracy theory that Barack Obama wasn’t born in the US.
Future ads will reportedly focus on each of Paul Gosar’s siblings and why they object to his policies.
“It would be difficult to see my brother as anything but a racist,” says sister Grace in another video.
However, if this wasn’t enough family drama, the Congressman didn’t hold back responding to his siblings’ attack, tweeting his opinions and comparing their actions to Russian Communist Dictator, Joseph Stalin.
To make things even messier, their 85-year-old mother, Bernadette Gosar has also commented on her children’s attack video.
Although she was unaware of the video until she was contacted by the New York Times, the Wyoming resident sided with the Congressman.
“I share the same philosophy and policies that Paul does,” she said.
“He’s done a hell of a job for Arizona, and they love him.”
The Congressman shared the article on his Twitter profile.
“I guess I really am Mum’s favourite!” he wrote.
“Thanks #mum.”
Responding to the unprecedented political ad, people voiced their opinions on Twitter, amazed at the dramatic family division playing out on social media.
Have you been following this story? What did you think of David Brill’s ad? Tell us in a comment!
Top Comments
Would love to be at their family Christmas lunch