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Minnesota Republican Offers Non-Apology For Attacking Opponent’s Sexual Orientation And Race

Aaron Rupar Twitter
Ali Jimenez-Hopper said of her Democratic opponent, “She brings up that she is half black and she uses that as a strength. She brings up that she is in support of LGBT and that lifestyle and puts out pictures on Twitter of her and her wife.” CREDIT: SCREENSHOT
Ali Jimenez-Hopper said of her Democratic opponent, “She brings up that she is half black and she uses that as a strength. She brings up that she is in support of LGBT and that lifestyle and puts out pictures on Twitter of her and her wife.” CREDIT: SCREENSHOT

Political newcomer Ali Jimenez-Hopper got her career off to an inauspicious start last month when she attacked her Democratic opponent Erin Maye Quade for being “LGBT” and “half black” during her speech at a Minnesota Republican Party district convention.

Her comments didn’t deter Republican delegates from supporting her — Jimenez-Hopper went on to win the GOP’s endorsement. But after audio of her remarks circulated this week and were widely denounced, Jimenez-Hopper saw fit to release a statement to the Star Tribune. (She didn’t reply to ThinkProgress’ requests for comment.)

Jimenez-Hopper claimed her comments were somehow misconstrued. For that she blamed Democrats.

Minnesota Republican Attacks Her Democratic Opponent For Being ‘LGBT’ And ‘Half Black’Politics by CREDIT: Courtesy Of Erin Maye Quade During a Republican district convention in the suburban Twin Cities…thinkprogress.org“Unlike my opponent, I am new to the political process and sometimes say things in a way that can be twisted around and out of context by the Democrats,” Jimenez-Hopper said. “I apologize to anyone I offended by my comments. As a Hispanic American, it is my hope that voters in Apple Valley judge both of us by where we stand on the issues, and not simply by the color of our skin or who we are married to.”

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The allegation Maye Quade is somehow guilty of the sin of identity politics for not concealing her identity was echoed by other Republicans in her district.

Offensive comments made by Republicans have already become an issue at numerous levels of electoral politics in the suburban House district where Jimenez-Hopper is set to face off again Maye Quade this November. The district is part of Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District, where the GOP-endorsed candidate is Jason Lewis, a former radio host who once characterized Hurricane Katrina victims as “a bunch of whiners” and questioned whether the Union had just cause to end slavery by fighting the Civil War. And the presumptive Republican presidential candidate, of course, is Donald Trump, who issued his own non-apology for racist remarks earlier this week.