Controversy, confusion after Perdue signs insulin pump

David Perdue, the Republican running for Georgia’s open Senate seat, was signing an insulin pump — not a young woman’s stomach — in a video released Friday.

In the video, taped by a Democratic opposition group and obtained by Buzzfeed, Perdue is seen leaning down to sign something on a young woman’s abdomen at a campaign rally before someone blocks the camera’s view.

{mosads}“No pictures on this,” Perdue is heard saying.

Buzzfeed initially reported incorrectly that the GOP candidate signed the woman’s stomach.

They corrected their story after a second video, from a different angle, showed the woman holding something on her body for Perdue to sign. Another picture shows an insulin pump with the candidate’s signature.

The video drew a quick rebuke from the family of the woman.

“This video is extremely disrespectful to our family and our young daughter’s privacy,” they said in a statement to BuzzFeed.

The incident also brought more political criticism directed at Perdue’s opponent, Michelle Nunn.

“Making fun of a girl with diabetes in hopes of scoring political points is nothing short of disgusting and everyone who made disparaging remarks should be ashamed of their cruel behavior,” said Georgia Republican Party Chairman John Padgett in a statement.

He also called on Nunn to apologize, along with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and BuzzFeed.

American Bridge, the Democratic group, tweeted that they regretted any confusion that the video had caused, and noted they had posted the original video without commentary.

American Bridge posted this video as it was recorded without commentary. We regret any confusion it caused.

— American Bridge (@American_Bridge) October 24, 2014

A spokesman said the group has since pulled the video down.

The race between Nunn and Perdue is seen as crucial in Republican attempts to capture Senate. Polls show that it is extremely tight.