A House candidate in New Jersey who won his Republican primary last week has called diversity “a bunch of crap” and an “un-American” idea, video reveals.
Seth Grossman, who is running for New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District, made the comment during a GOP campaign forum in April, according to Philly.com. The news outlet received footage of his remarks from American Bridge to the 21st Century, a Democratic PAC that monitors Republican candidates.
{mosads}In the video, Grossman calls diversity an “un-American” concept, implies that the country was better off before affirmative action and says black Americans would benefit from stronger immigration enforcement.
“The whole idea of diversity is a bunch of crap and un-American,” Grossman says.
Diversity, he says, is “an excuse by Democrats, communists and socialists, basically, to say that we’re not all created equal, that if some people or somebody is less qualified, they will get a job anyway or they’ll get into college anyway because of what group or what box they fit into.”
“Once we say that Republicans want these traditional ways that made America great for all these years, then maybe African-Americans will realize if we enforce our immigration laws, they’ll be more opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds,” he adds. “When we talk about women saying ‘Well we need special care for child care, we need this credit and that credit.’ I say, wait a minute, when America was great, one parent alone earned more than enough money to comfortably support a family.”
On Monday, Grossman, a noted supporter of President Trump, told Philly.com that he stands by his comments. He also contended that American Bridge PAC is trying to brand Trump-aligned Republicans as “radical and unacceptable.”
Grossman is squaring off against state Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D) in a district that is considered likely to flip from Republican to Democrat this year. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) has represented the 2nd District for 24 years, but announced his retirement in November.
Van Drew campaign spokesman Michael Muller said the Democratic candidate was “disappointed” by Grossman’s comments.
“Senator Van Drew wants to be a congressman that embraces our diversity because that is the foundation of [the] country’s success for generations as a land of opportunity,” Muller said in a statement.