Richard Painter puts out ‘dumpster fire’ in first campaign ad

Minnesota Senate candidate Richard Painter (D) released his first campaign ad this week, likening Washington to a “dumpster fire.”

Painter, who previously served as White House ethics lawyer under former President George W. Bush and switched political parties for the Senate bid, is first shown in the ad standing in front of a dumpster fire.

“Some people see a dumpster fire and do nothing but watch the spectacle,” Painter says. “Some are too scared to face the danger, or they think it will benefit them if they let it keep on burning.”

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“Some of them shrug and say, ‘Oh, all this talk about dumpster fire, it’s just fake news,’” he continues.

“There is an inferno raging in Washington. But here in the ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes,’ we know how to put out a fire,” Painter says, as water behind him extinguishes the flames.

Painter emerged as a vocal opponent of President Trump, often appearing on cable news to speak out against the president’s actions and policies.

He announced earlier this year that he was switching parties to run as a Democrat for former Sen. Al Franken’s (D) seat. Painter is going up against Sen. Tina Smith (D), who was appointed to the seat last year after Franken resigned amid allegations of groping women.

“Democratic voters are going to agree with me on many more of those issues than your typical group of Republican voters today because of the transformation of the parties over the years,” Painter told The Hill earlier this year. “I’m going to deliver. I’ve taken firm positions on issues the voters care about, and I will get my positions implemented.”