A new advertisement announcing the congressional campaign of retired Lt. Gen. Amy McGrath is making headlines on social media for its use of imagery.
McGrath, a Democrat, formally announced that she’s running for GOP Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on August 1.
As stated in the video, McGrath’s military service was highlighted by being the first female Marine to fly an F-18 into combat, despite being told she wouldn’t be able to when she was a teenager.
In the ad, titled “Told Me,” McGrath is shown on the tarmac of a military base saying that when she was 12, she “knew exactly what (she) wanted to do when (she) grew up.” McGrath says she wanted to fly fighter jets and land on aircraft carriers because “that’s the toughest flying you can do.”
But one year later, McGrath was informed by her congressman that she wouldn’t be able to achieve that dream, she says.
“When I was 13, my congressman told me I couldn’t fly in combat,” she says. “He said Congress thought women ought to be protected and not allowed to serve in combat. I never got a letter back from my senator, Mitch McConnell.”
Despite the negative outlook at such a young age, McGrath persevered, she said. She attended the Naval Academy and the law regarding females in combat was changed.
“I spent 20 years as a U.S. Marine, flew 89 combat missions bombing al-Qaeda and the Taliban,” she says.
McGrath criticizes Barr for being McConnell’s “hand-picked congressman,” adding that the senator has promised to “take healthcare away from over a quarter-million Kentuckians.”
Watch the political advertisement in the video below:
The advertisement was produced by Mark Putnam, a Democratic ad maker, Politico reported.
McGrath has her work cut out for her in Kentucky’s 6th District. Barr was victorious in his 2016 re-election bid by over 20 points and has held the seat since 2013.
The congressional race is yet another opportunity for Democrats to try and take advantage of President Donald Trump‘s unpopularity during next year’s midterm elections.
Previous attempts to win congressional seats across the nation earlier this year have largely failed. In May, Republican Greg Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist in Montana’s at-large election, and Democrat Jon Ossoff lost a runoff election for a vacant House seat against Republican Karen Handel in June.