Election 2024

GOP politician’s cringeworthy rap campaign ad has the world laughing

Utah state Sen. Linda Paulson (R)
Utah state Sen. Linda Paulson (R) Photo: Screenshot

Utah state Sen. Linda Paulson (R) has become an international rap sensation. The GOP politician’s new campaign ad, however, isn’t shattering sales records; it’s being widely mocked.

How awful is it? The U.K.’s Daily Telegraph even paused coverage of the Queen’s then-impending funeral to give viewers some mirth during the solemn proceedings.

The anti-LGBTQ Republican’s attempt to reach out to the state’s geriatric religious right rap community stayed on brand throughout her minute-long performance. Complete with a dismal dance routine, the ad contained lyrical genius like rhyming “pro-police” with “free speech.”

“My name is Linda Paulson – Republican and awesome!” she spits out as she opens. “Love God, and family, and the Constitution.”

But it doesn’t take long for Paulson to veer into anti-LGBTQ dog whistles, touting that she’s “pro-religious freedom” and bemoaning the lack of “morality” from the current crop of politicians. Paulson is a sitting state senator running for re-election.

“I support traditional family as the fundamental unit of society,” she raps, “but in schools they’re pushing for new beliefs.”

Not content with knocking queer parents and same-sex marriage, Paulson also took a swing at transgender women and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

“Just to clarify this,” she awkwardly tries to rap while a photo of Jackson appears on screen, “since some can’t define this. As a female adult, I know what a woman is.”

Republican senators repeatedly tried to trip up the judge during her confirmation hearings over the subject of transgender rights. Jackson refused to give a definition, saying she isn’t a “biologist.” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) led the charge, but asked to define it herself, she refused to answer three times.

“This has to be an outtake from Park & Rec,” one person tweeted in response.

“I was a lifelong Dem until I saw this video,” another sent.

“If I had a time machine, I’d show this to the founders,” another user quipped.

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