In mid-October 2014, longtime Alaska GOP Rep. Don Young drew some deservedly awful headlines after he appeared at an assembly at Wasilla High School and made some incredibly offensive comments about a local student’s recent suicide. Young first suggested that suicide was the result of a lack of support from friends and family. And as school principal, Amy Spargo and teacher Carla Swick recounted to the Alaska Dispatch News, Young’s comments only got worse:
Both Spargo and Swick say a friend of the victim, moved by emotion, shouted at Young, "He had friends. He had support."
"The kid said, 'It's depression -- you know, a mental illness,' " Spargo recalled. As she remembers, Young replied, " 'Well, what, do you just go to the doctor and get diagnosed with suicide?' "
At some point during the exchange, several school staffers say, the congressman also used either the words "---hole" or "smartass."
Young went on to win re-election a few weeks later, but by only 51-41. Two years before, in a much worse year for Republicans nationally, Young triumphed 64-29. While the story almost certainly cost the incumbent plenty of votes, Young’s 2014 Democratic opponent didn’t have the time or money to run ads on Young’s awful comments.
Luckily, Democrat Steve Lindbeck has the resources to make sure voters don’t forget about this incident. Lindbeck is out with a commercial starring Zach Grier, who was one of the students who challenged Young at the assembly in 2014. You can watch the ad below.
Grier speaks directly to the camera and delivers this message:
Two years ago, a friend of mine committed suicide. He was 16 years old. A few days later, Congressman Don Young visited our school. When we asked if there was anything he could do to help students with depression, first he blamed us for our friend’s death. Then he mocked us. Then Mr. Young cursed us when we got upset. I don’t know why anyone would do that. Or why he’s still our congressman.
Young, who has represented the entire state of Alaska since 1973, has the luxury of running for re-election in a state that Donald Trump is likely to carry next month. But Lindbeck, a retired Alaska Public Media CEO, is Young’s strongest challenger in years, and he has the chance to remind voters why they were so disgusted with Young two years ago.
Now is our chance to fire Don Young. Please chip in $3 to help Steve Lindbeck today.
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