WASHINGTON, D.C.—People For the American Way Political Director Lizet Ocampo today released the following statement after Va. State Senator Richard Stuart purchased Islamophobic Facebook ads maligning Qasim Rashid. Rashid is challenging Stuart in this year’s election in Virginia.

“Richard Stuart should take down this disgraceful attack ad targeting Qasim Rashid and apologize immediately. Not only is this ad straight out of the Donald Trump playbook, it won’t bring one new job, educate one new student, or get one additional Virginian health care. Stuart and Trump are willing to tear our communities apart rather than uniting us to protect the well-being of Virginians and all Americans. Hate won’t win this election, and we look forward to beating this ugly strategy first in Virginia in 2019 and nationwide in 2020.”

Rashid is a human rights lawyer who has received death threats due to his Muslim faith. PFAW’s Next Up Victory Fund endorsed Rashid’s bid for the Virginia State Senate in May.

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

People For the American Way’s Next Up Victory Fund helps young progressive candidates win races for state and local offices across the country. The goal of Next Up is to build a deep bench of progressive candidates well positioned to control state legislatures, win statewide, and run for federal offices in the years and decades to come.

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