State GOP sticks with Witzke after Ginsberg post created social media uproar

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Days after winning the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, Lauren Witzke found herself in a social media firestorm.

This came after Witzke posted a meme on Facebook and claiming that the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s stance on abortion led to millions of Black and Brown  babies not being born. Ginsberg died on Friday.

Following the uproar, the Delaware Republican Party decided to stick with the candidate, Delaware Public Media reported. However, party chair Jane Brady called on Witzke to work to address the damage caused by the post.

Brady offered the following comment: 

The content of this post was offensive and tasteless. It has been universally condemned by members of the Republican Party who have spoken to me about it. I personally found it reprehensible. It appears that Ms. Witzke may not have been aware of the post before it was sent, and she has pledged to personally manage her own social platform for the remainder of her campaign. The post has definitely hurt the campaign, however, and Ms. Witzke has some work to do to address the harm this matter has caused.

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Northern Delaware Republican State Sen. Anthony DelCollo called on Witzke to suspend her campaign.

“This confirms what I have already come to believe; the candidate in question is unfit to lead. Someone willing to engage in such repugnant and reprehensible behavior should step aside so that an individual with the proper character and judgment may serve as a candidate in the November election,” DelCollo wrote on his Senate campaign’s Facebook page. “I call upon candidate Witzke to suspend her campaign, immediately. I also ask that the Delaware Republican Party revoke their support for this candidate.”

Despite, the criticism, Witzke remained defiant and justified the post, while taking down the meme with Black children  that accompanied it.

Witzke failed to win the endorsement of the state Republican Party. Following the victory, she won the party’s nod.

Witzke’s comments mark the latest chapter in the GOP’s struggle to find a mainstream candidate for the U.S. Senate who would champion the interests of business and other traditional constituencies. 

Earlier in the 2000s, insurgent candidate Christine O’Donnell upset Cong. Mike Castle’s bid for a Senate seat.

New Castle County Executive Chris Coons, who had widely been seen as an underdog to the popular congressman,  coasted into his first term.

Coons now faces Witzke in his bid for re-election.

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