Derrick Anderson , a Republican congressional candidate in Virginia's 7th District, has gone too far for his campaign video and made him a viral topic.
In a new campaign video, he was seen posing with a woman and three girls, seemingly portraying a happy family. However, the individuals in the photos are not Anderson's family members, but rather the wife and children of one of his longtime friends, as confirmed by his campaign to the New York Times.
Anderson, a former Army Green Beret, is currently engaged but has no children of his own and lives alone with his dog, according to his campaign website. The images quickly spread on social media, with one tweet garnering over 6 million views. Despite the viral attention, Anderson's spokesperson defended the photos, stating, "Derrick's opponent and every other candidate in America are in similar pictures and video with supporters of all kinds."
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) criticised Anderson for the photos, with spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen accusing him of "misleading" voters with "deceitful" tactics.
Fanguen stated, "Derrick Anderson is so desperate to mask his anti-abortion views and look like a family man that he's posing for fake family pictures. He's clearly not above misleading Virginians and definitely can't be trusted to represent them in Congress."
New York Times reached out to Anderson for his fake photoshoot and a spokesperson criticised the focus of the footage and said that every other candidate in America is seen in similar photos. The spokesperson said nowhere it was claimed that they were Anderson's wife or children. Anderson was with his "female supporters and children", the spokesperson said explaining that nothing was fake.
This is Anderson's second run for Congress, following a loss in the 7th District's GOP primary in 2022. The seat is currently held by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who plans to run for Virginia governor in 2025. Anderson's opponent in the current race is fellow Army veteran and Democrat Yevgeny "Eugene" Vindman, who gained national attention as a whistleblower in the first impeachment attempt against former President Donald Trump.
The Vindman campaign is also facing scrutiny, with an FEC complaint alleging illegal coordination between his campaign and VoteVets, a PAC run by his twin brother. The complaint follows media inquiries into the candidate's military record, which led the campaign to refer journalists' questions to his brother's advocacy group.
In a new campaign video, he was seen posing with a woman and three girls, seemingly portraying a happy family. However, the individuals in the photos are not Anderson's family members, but rather the wife and children of one of his longtime friends, as confirmed by his campaign to the New York Times.
Anderson, a former Army Green Beret, is currently engaged but has no children of his own and lives alone with his dog, according to his campaign website. The images quickly spread on social media, with one tweet garnering over 6 million views. Despite the viral attention, Anderson's spokesperson defended the photos, stating, "Derrick's opponent and every other candidate in America are in similar pictures and video with supporters of all kinds."
New: Republican candidate for Congress Derrick Anderson posed for photos with the wife and children of one of his friends, apparently to appear like they are his family.
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) September 28, 2024
They are not his family.https://t.co/wIzrEnKKdi pic.twitter.com/jNxORdlUJd
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) criticised Anderson for the photos, with spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen accusing him of "misleading" voters with "deceitful" tactics.
Fanguen stated, "Derrick Anderson is so desperate to mask his anti-abortion views and look like a family man that he's posing for fake family pictures. He's clearly not above misleading Virginians and definitely can't be trusted to represent them in Congress."
New York Times reached out to Anderson for his fake photoshoot and a spokesperson criticised the focus of the footage and said that every other candidate in America is seen in similar photos. The spokesperson said nowhere it was claimed that they were Anderson's wife or children. Anderson was with his "female supporters and children", the spokesperson said explaining that nothing was fake.
They are weird:
— Pitt Griffin (@pittgriffin) September 28, 2024
Derrick Anderson is a MAGA running for Congress in VA.
In this photo, posted by the NRCC, everyone would think he was posing with his wife and daughters
It’s a lie. The unmarried Derrick is single & childless
That’s a friend’s wife and her kids pic.twitter.com/BW0AyjRkQi
This is Anderson's second run for Congress, following a loss in the 7th District's GOP primary in 2022. The seat is currently held by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who plans to run for Virginia governor in 2025. Anderson's opponent in the current race is fellow Army veteran and Democrat Yevgeny "Eugene" Vindman, who gained national attention as a whistleblower in the first impeachment attempt against former President Donald Trump.
The Vindman campaign is also facing scrutiny, with an FEC complaint alleging illegal coordination between his campaign and VoteVets, a PAC run by his twin brother. The complaint follows media inquiries into the candidate's military record, which led the campaign to refer journalists' questions to his brother's advocacy group.
