Fake Family: Derrick Anderson Takes “Family Photos” with Friends

New reporting from the New York Times exposes desperate Derrick Anderson for posting pictures he wants political groups to use in ads on his behalf with a family.

The plot twist? It's not Anderson's family.

As the NYT notes, "The proliferation of women and families in campaigns this season underscores the importance for Republican candidates to be able to show off a family-friendly, relatable side to voters - especially women, who increasingly say the issue of abortion is central to their decision this fall."

It's no surprise that Anderson is using this deceitful tactic given his anti -choice agenda.

Just this week, Derrick Anderson once again praised the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, doubling down on his belief that politicians should be allowed to ban abortion.

DCCC Spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen:
"Derrick Anderson is so desperate to mask his anti-abortion views and look like a family man that he's posing for fake family pictures. He's clearly not above misleading Virginians and definitely can't be trusted to represent them in Congress."

New York Times: G.O.P. Candidates, Looking to Soften Their Image, Turn to Their Wives
Annie Karni and Catie Edmondson | September 27, 2024

• The campaign of Derrick Anderson, a former Army Green Beret who is running in a competitive race for an open seat in Virginia's Seventh District, has posted footage of him posing with a woman and her three daughters in what looks like a photo that might be used for an annual holiday card. In another scene filmed for potential use in a campaign ad, Mr. Anderson is seated around the dining room table with the same woman and three girls, chatting and smiling.

• But the people are not relatives. They are the wife and children of a longtime friend. Mr. Anderson, who announced this month that he was engaged, does not have any children of his own. His campaign website says he lives with his dog and does not display any of the photos.

• The footage has not yet been used in any ad. It can be found on Mr. Anderson's official YouTube page and is also posted on a website paid for by the National Republican Campaign Committee, where the organization provides resources for independent outside groups that are not allowed to communicate directly with campaigns but can use the information posted there to guide their paid media strategy.

• The proliferation of women and families in campaigns this season underscores the importance for Republican candidates to be able to show off a family-friendly, relatable side to voters - especially women, who increasingly say the issue of abortion is central to their decision this fall.

• In multiple election cycles since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the issues of abortion and reproductive rights have been politically toxic for Republican candidates. Some are doing little to combat the impression that their party simply lacks empathy for women.