In a horrifying and disturbing attack video, a Latino group headed by actress Eva Longoria suggests that blacks, Latinos and Muslims would be hunted down by white supremacists and Tea Party followers if Republican Ed Gillespie wins next week’s gubernatorial election.



In the one-minute video from Latino Victory Fund titled “American Nightmare,” young black, Muslim and Latino children are shown being stalked and chased down by a Ford pickup adorned with a Gillespie bumper sticker, a large Confederate flag, and a Tea Party tag. The background music at times sounds like a gun firing.

In one scene, as the pickup nears, a child is heard yelling to his pal, “run!” In another, a young child is shown slamming into a chain link fence, his eyes wide in fear, as the pickup races up.

At the end, the children are shown waking up from a nightmare and watching a nighttime parade of torch-bearing whites on TV. The announcer says, “Is this what Donald Trump and Ed Gillespie mean by the American Dream?”

Both the Gillespie campaign, and that of his opponent, Democratic Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, have run harsh ads, but the Republican said the Latino Victory video is “sickening.”

Gillespie campaign manager Chris Leavitt told us:

“Ed Gillespie has focused his campaign on the many policy differences between Ralph Northam and him, but sadly the Northam campaign and its allies have launched a desperate smear campaign against Ed in the closing days of this election. The lieutenant governor was roundly rebuked for exploiting imagery from the tragedy of Charlottesville for political points. Now his allies have reached a new low with a disgusting, vile television ad seeking to instill fear in our children with that same imagery. This is not an attack on Ed Gillespie anymore. This is an all out attack on the people of Virginia. This latest ad gives a clear indication of just what Ralph Northam and his national Democratic allies think of all of us, and it’s sickening.”



The early reactions to the video posted on the group’s Twitter and YouTube accounts have been negative.

On YouTube, one wrote, “Something tells me that the only time this has ever happened was when they filmed this ad.”

Another wrote, “As a Latino, first-generation college student myself, I am disgusted by this ad. To relegate Ed Gillespie, the son of an Irish immigrant, to racist individuals who are not part of the legitimate political spectrum is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine. You can definitely count that I'll be voting next week, and it won't be for Northam.”

Polls suggest the race is very tight and Democrats have warned that outgoing Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s legacy — and potential 2020 presidential hopes -- are at risk if Northam loses.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com