From 314 Action:
Pro-Youngkin Right-Wing Group Pushes Anti-Science Conspiracy Theories in Dangerous New Ads
While Team Youngkin’s message to Virginia voters is just more conspiracy, 314 Action’s latest ad targets the gubernatorial candidate for refusing to disavow dangerous extremists harassing school boards
PHILADELPHIA — From the start of his campaign, Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin has tied himself to the kind of anti-science conspiracy theories that have led to violence and dangerous behavior at school board meetings in Virginia and across the country. Today, Free to Learn Action, a group funded by far-right wing Concord Fund, announced that they would be running ads using these same conspiracy theories to terrify Virginia voters into voting for Youngkin as one of the final major pushes of the cycle.
These ads are set to air at the same week 314 Action launched an ad campaign highlighting this dangerous trend in the Virginia race, focusing on Youngkin’s refusal to condemn the dangerous, anti-science conspiracy theorists. The ad can be seen here.
“Glenn Youngkin and his right-wing backers are throwing a Hail Mary pass with anti-science conspiracy theories less than two weeks before the election,” said Joshua Morrow, 314 Action executive director. “314 Action and our network of six million supporters are proud to carry the pro-science banner and act as a counterpunch to Free to Learn Action’s dangerous rhetoric in Virginia’s pivotal gubernatorial election.”
These ads are part of 314 Action’s $10 million nonpartisan advocacy campaign for the 2021-2022 cycle, which is focused on issues critical to the science community, including climate change, COVID-19 response and future pandemic research, reproductive justice, gun violence prevention, and voting rights.
In addition to Virginia, 314 Action’s ad campaign focuses on six governors or gubernatorial candidates whose support for anti-science policies have led to violence and abusive rhetoric at school board meetings in their states and across the country:
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Gov. Greg Abbott (Texas)
- Gov. Ron DeSantis (Florida)
- Gov. Doug Ducey (Arizona)
- Gov. Brian Kemp (Georgia)
- Gov. Kim Reynolds (Iowa)
- Glenn Youngkin (Virginia)
The script of the ad is as follows:
Fanatical protesters wreaking havoc — disrespecting police, bullying and threatening local school boards.
TV CLIP #1: “We know who you are!”
The violent fanatical right — driven by anti science conspiracies.
TV CLIP #2: “All the schools boards — these are demonic entities”
TV CLIP #3: “Your children’s children will be subjugated.”
Republican leaders are dangerously silent as the violent fanatical right rages.
Call on Glenn Youngkin to stand with science and reject right wing violence.
Paid for and authorized by 314 Action.
In 2022, 314 Action will aim to spend $50 million to elect scientists across all levels of government, with initial targets of seven U.S. Senate races, forty U.S. House races, and twenty-one statewide races.
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314 Action is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people working to elect scientists, doctors, and STEM professionals who will use science and facts to address our most pressing issues like climate change and health care. In 2018 and 2020, we played a pivotal role in flipping the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, electing eleven Democratic scientists to federal office, as well as over 100 to state and local offices. In 2021 and 2022, 314 Action will continue working to elect science leaders and defeat climate deniers in Congress and legislatures across the country, as well as advocate for issues critical to the science community, from environmental justice, to voting rights, to reproductive justice, and beyond.
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