One of a few things might come to mind when you think of Baltimore, Maryland but chances are “rising Republican” isn’t historically it. However, thanks to congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik, the buzz about the city has been increasing, along with what might have happened to it if it hadn’t been under Democratic rule for decades.
The 38-year-old Republican powerhouse has won the Republican nomination to replace the late Rep. Elijah Cummings who died in October of 2019. The historically Democratic-controlled city has been languishing in increasingly downward trending conditions. The most populous dense city in the United States still manages to have abandoned buildings and a shockingly high cost of living.
According to Klacik, those ills are due to the Democratic leadership, and if elected she would help fix those issues. She made those points in her second, explosive, nationally reaching campaign ad for her run to obtain Maryland’s seventh district.
PJ Media reported on the high profile ad, describing it as something we should “see more of from 21st-century Republicans:
“In this ad, Klacik is again walking the streets of Baltimore but she is now explaining some of her policy positions and how she would like to change the city. As she does so, the harsh present reality is transformed to give us a visual of what she envisions. It’s an amazing political ad spot. The production value is more like that of a well-financed short film than a campaign ad.”
Among those singing Klacik’s praises are actor and filmmaker Nick Searcy as well as nationally syndicated political commentator Dave Rubin.
“Just from a filmmaking perspective, this is amazing. I aspire to be this good,” Searcy said.
Rubin’s response of “Holy cow” was followed by a question:
“Is this ad by @kimKBaltimore the best political ad in the last 30 years?”
PJ Media’s Stephen Kruiser was also impressed. “As an activist who is also an entertainer, I’ve longed for some young blood in the GOP who understand not only the power of media in modern politics but the necessity of it as well,” Kruiser said. “There are some older Republicans who do. Let us not forget that President Trump is also the most successful reality star in the history of American television.
“It helps a lot that Klacik has an exceptional on-camera presence. She’s serious without being cranky, tackling tough issues with a message that is transformational and positive. It’s a lot more than just, ‘Look, the Democrats have really screwed this up, so vote for me simply because I’m not one of them.’”
Klacik’s odds are daunting, at best, but her campaign has done surprisingly well. It seemed unlikely that she would be able to one-up the original campaign ad that catapulted her into the public eye, and outdistanced fellow Black-figure, Michelle Obama’s Democratic National Convention speech, which was released about the same time.
Klacik’s entire message is a compelling one: Black people, and Baltimore specifically, which is predominately Black, don’t have to vote Democratic. Her first ad reminded Black Americans that one of the most dangerous things they could do on a daily basis was to live in a city governed by Democrats.
One of the most unique things about her more recent enticement is that she walks the streets of some very unappealing areas in the district she hopes to represent, showing, in person, where she wants to revitalize small business (versus Democrats who choke them out with taxes and regulations) and buildings where more housing can be provided.
Klacik is offering a hand up instead of a handout. Let’s hope Baltimore takes the new and improved champion of Black lives, it might just be their last hope.
