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How do you attract voters to your campaign event in Harlem?

You offer them fried chicken, Kool-Aid and watermelon, according to New York State Senate candidate Jon Girodes, who’s planning to host his event in a few weeks.

He shared his plans with New York’s NBC4 in an email, the affiliate reports: “…I’m hosting an event in Harlem which will be in front of the state building in a few weeks,” he wrote. “We will [donate] Kool Aid, KFC and watermelons to the public on 125th street in Harlem. Please join us to help the community.”

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Harlem and East Harlem residents called Girodes’ plans “racist” and clapped back by saying it was “more than an insult.”

Girodes’ response? He doesn’t find anything wrong.

“What I think is anyone who gives free food to people is doing them a favor,” he responded. “Get a bunch of people who say it’s offensive and let me go into their neighborhood and give it out for free and see if they take it.”