Conservatives turn on GOP governor over unexpected ‘villain’ in welfare ad

Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ignited backlash from conservatives Monday after releasing a campaign ad depicting a young White man as the face of welfare abuse, with critics arguing the portrayal was misleading.

The ad, released as Huckabee Sanders runs for reelection on new welfare work requirements, follows a fictional character named “Brad,” who is portrayed as an able-bodied White man spending his days playing video games, lounging on the couch and avoiding work while relying on taxpayer-funded benefits. Huckabee Sanders argues her proposal would require able-bodied adults without dependents to work, train for a job or volunteer in order to continue receiving assistance.

“Meet Brad,” Huckabee Sanders starts the ad. “Brad has turned relaxing into a full-time profession. But you – you actually work hard. You pay taxes to cover welfare for guys like Brad who just choose not to work.”

Huckabee Sanders faced backlash from conservatives who slammed the campaign’s execution, arguing the decision to depict a young White man as the face of welfare abuse did not reflect reality.

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“Great policy,” Co-founder and CEO of The Federalist Sean Davis argued. “Terrible ad that is so dishonest and insulting that it will entirely overshadow the genuinely great policy.”

“This is a massive own goal, [Sarah Huckabee Sanders], and you should fire the consultants who made this ad,” Will Chamberlain, the Article III Project senior counsel, posted on X. “Do not portray your core voting bloc as losers, period. “

“White males are the Republican Party’s voting base and yet they are the group the Republican Party sh—s on at every possible opportunity,” responded Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh. “Meanwhile, back in reality, women are significantly more likely to be on welfare than men. And black people are astronomically more likely to be on welfare than white people. So the number of single young white male ‘Brads’ abusing the welfare system is minuscule.”

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“Attacking white (specifically Christian) young men is the most acceptable political tactic in America thanks to the evils of liberalism,” said the American Principles Project’s Caleb Pascoe. “It’s staggering how much even the majority of GOP politicians feel safe attacking white young men, instead of communicating the truth of welfare, because they might get called ‘racist’ or whatever.”

After the initial post got millions of views, Huckabee Sanders followed up with an X post that said, “Some critics online don’t like my welfare work requirement ad. Next thing you know they’ll say I should have used cookies instead of cheese balls.”

“If you are able-bodied you should not collect welfare simply because you choose not to work. Period. WATCH->” she continued, which invited conservatives to attack the video again.

“Your ad targeted and mocked the one demographic—young white men—that is least likely to be on welfare and yet the most likely to be illegally locked out of the job market,” Davis added in a follow-up post. “Why?”

“Is this an op?” another account wrote.

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The unusual backlash from the right also attracted attention from critics on the left, who seized on the intra-conservative dispute over the ad.

Among them was left-wing commentator Keith Olbermann, who mocked what he called the “White Power GOP Party” for turning on Huckabee Sanders over the ad’s depiction of a white welfare recipient.

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“Huck puts out the first honest TV ad by a republican in 75 years and the White Power GOP Party is big mad that the welfare leech shown is a white guy named Brad,” Olbermann said amid the backlash.

“Republicans are insanely mad this Sarah Huckabee Sanders ad portrays a white gamer guy as the face of welfare,” Will Sommer, a senior reporter for The Bulwark, posted on X.

“Republicans in the comments are furious that Sarah Huckabee Sanders dared to depict a white man on welfare and are blaming “jews,” far-left media company MeidasTouch posted on X. “The Republican Party has a massive racism and antisemitism problem.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Huckabee Sanders’ team for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.